Issue Position: Crime

Issue Position

One of my top priorities is fighting violent crime. I am a very strong supporter of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program and voted for its reauthorization (H.R. 1139) on April 23, 2009. In the 1990s, the COPS program put thousands of new police officers on the nation's streets, resulting in a decade that saw the greatest drop in crime in a generation. Along with reauthorizing the COPS program, I fought for additional funding so that we can put more police officers on Memphis streets to tackle crime head on. I was pleased that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded 37 new police officers in Memphis. I have also introduced vital legislation to eliminate racial disparities in the criminal justice and cosponsored many important bills to address the crime in our communities.
Appropriations

∙I secured $2,444,000 for the University of Memphis Integrated Gang and Violent Crime Reduction Program, which makes possible the Memphis Police Department's "Operation Blue Crush" program to ensure that crime fighting resources are deployed when and where they are needed.

Source