C.O.P.S. Improvements Act Of 2007
Floor Speech
C.O.P.S IMPROVEMENTS ACT ÐOF 2007 -- (Extensions of Remarks - May 16, 2007)
* Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 1700, The C.O.P.S Improvement Act. This legislation helps to put 50,000 more police officers on America's streets. This bill will add hundreds of new cops to fight crime and terrorism in the 9th Congressional District and the City of Houston.
* The C.O.P.S. hiring program was created in 1994 to put more police officers on America's streets, and has been one of the most successful law enforcement programs in our Nation's history. Nationally, C.O.P.S has provided $9 billion to hire 117,000 police officers. According to a GAO study, between 1998 and 2000, C.O.P.S. grants were a significant factor in reducing crimes by about 200,000 to 225,000 crimes--one third of which were violent. In 1998, C.O.P.S. grants were greatly responsible for an 8 percent decrease in crimes--and a 13 percent drop in violent crimes. The C.O.P.S. Improvement Act will breathe new life into the C.O.P.S. program nationwide.
* Since 1994, 907 additional police officers and/or sheriff deputies have been hired in the 9th District of Texas, and over $64 million in C.O.P.S. grants have been awarded to law enforcement agencies in the 9th District of Texas. Passage of the C.O.P.S. Improvement Act of 2007 would likely add an additional $19 million into Texas' 9th District. This bill will also help to make our schools and children safer by adding 8 more school resource officers to the beat. In the last 13 years over $9 million in C.O.P.S. grants have been awarded to law enforcement agencies to purchase technology that enables agencies to put more officers on the beat in the 9th District.
* Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that the 5.7 percent drop in crime in the City of Houston is greatly due to the dedication of our city's hard-working men and women in uniform. Through their increased efforts Houstonians were safer from crime in 2006 than years before. I support the C.O.P.S Improvement Act, and am proud to increase the number of police officers and make our Nation a safer and better place to live.
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