MAZIE K. HIRONO

2^ND^ DISTRICT, HAWAI\`I

\-\-\-\--

MEMBER OF CONGRESS

**Congress of the United States**

**House of Representatives**

**Washington, DC 20515**

**Statement of Hon. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii**

**in the U.S. House of Representatives**

**In Support of H.R. 1700**

**The COPS Improvement Act of 2007**

**May 15, 2007**

   Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1700,
the COPS Improvement Act of 2007. I would like to thank the chief
sponsors of this legislation, Congressmen **WEINER** and **KELLER,** for
their efforts in bringing this bipartisan bill to the floor today.

   Congress created the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
program as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of
1994 (Public Law 103-322). Administered by the U.S. Department of
Justice, the COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies to hire and train community policing personnel,
implement new technologies to combat crime, and develop new policing
techniques.

   Since its establishment, the COPS program has been widely hailed as a
success. It most notably has supported the hiring of over 120,000
additional police officers and helped contribute to a nationwide
decrease in the rate of violent crime. In Hawaii alone, COPS grants have
helped to hire 522 additional police officers and sheriffs and placed 18
new resource officers in primary and secondary schools throughout the
islands.

   Yet, funding for this successful program has become a yearly
Congressional battle. President Bush\'s latest FY 2008 budget request
seeks to cut funding for the COPS program by 50 percent, which is
actually an improvement from previous years in which program funding was
simply zeroed out.

   In justifying the COPS program funding cut, the administration has
often cited the need to refocus our energies on homeland security
issues. However, our State and local law enforcement agencies play an
increasingly significant role in homeland security through their already
established roles in local crime prevention and investigation. It is not
unreasonable to suggest that State and local law enforcement entities
are among our first lines of defense in keeping our homeland secure. To
that end, it is the responsibility of this Congress to continue to
support and strengthen the COPS program.

   H.R. 1700 is an affirmative step in this direction, as it would
authorize \$1.15 billion each year in years 2008 through 2013 for the
COPS program. This is a 10 percent or \$103 million increase from the
amounts authorized in current law. Of that amount, \$600 million would
be allocated each year for the hiring of additional law enforcement
officers. It is estimated that this amount will translate into at least
50,000 new police officers on our streets. H.R. 1700 would also allow
for up to \$350 million annually for grant programs that improve
crime-fighting technologies and up to \$200 million each year to assist
district attorneys in hiring prosecutors.

   In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of
H.R. 1700, as it supports the work of law enforcement officers across
our Nation. I would also like to extend a heartfelt mahalo (thank you)
to our State and local law enforcement officers who serve our Nation
with distinction and aloha.