Letter to Vice Admiral Alan S. Thompson, Director, Defense Logistics Agency
Letter
Vice Admiral Alan S. Thompson
Director, Defense Logistics Agency
Andrew T. McNamara Building
8725 John J. Kingman Road
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221
Dear Admiral Thompson:
I am writing to lend support to the successful "1033 Program", and to call your attention to the needs of one participant in that program, the Newburgh, New York Police Department. Newburgh is making significant strides in its battle against drug crime and violence, and would greatly benefit from equipment and vehicle transfers through the 1033 program. Given the locality's regrettably high rate of violent crime, I ask that their equipment requests be given top priority and immediate consideration.
In accordance with Section 1033 of the Fiscal Year 1997 National Defense Authorization Act, this crucial program which is managed by your agency's Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO), takes surplus Defense property and transfers it to state and local law enforcement agencies. The Newburgh Police Department has been intensely monitoring the LESO inventory for equipment that will support their efforts to curtail violent crime, which is unfortunately at some of the highest rates in the nation. Newburgh is working with the New York State Coordinator for the 1033 Program, and has established a "watch list" of key equipment which will assist in their crime reduction strategies.
It is vitally important that our communities are prepared for all law enforcement contingencies. It would be unfortunate for surplus equipment to sit unused, while our brave law enforcement officers could be using that gear now to make themselves and our communities safer. I applaud the LESO's efforts to quickly transfer this gear to those in need, and I respectfully request that you keep the Newburgh Police Department in your list of top priority agencies for receiving surplus gear. As always, please let me know if I can be of any assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
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