Senate Funding Bill: Omnibus Legislation as it Pertains to Law Enforcement

12/15/2010 - The federal government is now three months into the 2011 Fiscal Year (FY2011). On Tuesday, December 14, 2010, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the proposed FY2011 Appropriations Bill. This bill will be a 1.1 trillion dollar spending measure that will include 8 billion dollars in earmarks. It is unclear if this spending bill has the necessary 60 votes it will need to clear the Senate.

Many Republicans favor a short term funding solution that maintains government spending at the 2010 levels until February 2011. Republicans will soon exercise control of the House of Representatives and benefit from a stronger presence in the United States Senate. This increase in influence will result in a stronger bargaining position for the Republican Party to achieve their desired outcome.

The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations’ top priority to fund is “Keeping America Safe from Terrorism and Violent Crime”.  The Department of Justice will receive 29.9 billion dollars which is 1.6 billion dollars more than currently allocated. This level of funding exceeds the President’s budget request by 176.5 million dollars.

State and local law enforcement will receive a total of 3.8 billion dollars which is 115.5 million above the enacted level and 345 million above the President’s budget request for grants to aid local and state law enforcement and crime victims. NAPO has worked hard to secure funds for local law enforcement and educated Congress on the importance of law enforcement programs.

The Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) program makes grants to police departments across the United States. The money allocated to this program totals 542 million dollars, which is a decrease from the $792 million dollars provided in FY2010.

The COPS allocation breaks down into several subcategories. COPS Hiring for FY2011 was 363 million dollars, an adjustment from the 298 million dollars from FY2010. Although COPS Hiring appears to benefit from an increase in funding, the money allocated in FY2010 does not take into account stimulus funds. The 363 million dollars will hire or retain approximately 1,500 police officers. Below is a breakdown of line-by-line COPS funds:

·  $30,000,000 – improving Tribal Law Enforcement (hiring, equipment, training, and anti-methamphetamine activities)

· $18,000,000– national grant program (assist state and local law enforcement to locate, arrest and prosecute child sexual predators and exploiters, and to enforce sex offender registration laws)

·  $15,000,000 – secure our schools

·  $363,000,000 – hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers (up to $30,000,000 is available for hiring or rehiring officers who will be assigned to internet crimes against children task force, $26,000,000 is for community policing development activities)

· $17,185,000– is for grants to address public safety and methamphetamine manufacturing, sale, and use in hot spots as authorized

·   $98,885,000– law enforcement technologies and interoperable communications program and related law enforcement and public safety equipment

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grants Program (Byrne JAG), a state formula grant used to assist local law enforcement, will receive 519 million dollars. Another 506 million dollars will go towards Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 449 million will go to Prevent Violence Against Women and 363 million dollars will go to Prevent, Investigate and Prosecute Crimes Against Children.

The national tone is calling for reduced spending and Washington will begin to make cuts. NAPO knows that crime will not reduce itself without the proper funding for equipment and additional personnel for law enforcement. We will work to educate members of Congress on the importance of adequate funding.