Rep. Adam Schiff Sought Funds to Assist Communities in Building Law Enforcement Memorials
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Adam Schiff announced today that the Law Enforcement Memorial Act fund will receive $250,000 in federal grants. Authored and introduced by Rep. Schiff, the Law Enforcement Memorial Act created the first-ever national fund for disbursing federal grants to states and localities to help construct memorials for those killed or disabled while serving as law enforcement or public safety officers.
"Police officers and firefighters touch the lives of so many Americans," said Rep Schiff. "When an officer is killed in the line of duty and community leaders want to create a memorial in their honor, lack of funding shouldn't stand in their way. I am pleased that my colleagues in the House have joined me in recognizing the importance of honoring our fallen heroes."
In addition to the $250,000 for FY04, Schiff secured $500,000 for the Law Enforcement Memorial Act as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report for FY03.
Serving as the original inspiration for the Law Enforcement Memorial Act is the Glendale Police Officers Association Foundation and its efforts to raise the funds to create a Glendale Police Memorial for their fallen officer, Charles A. Lazzaretto. 'Chuck' Lazzaretto was killed in a shoot-out in May 1997. Three other officers from Glendale have been killed in the line of duty in the department's history. Officer Lazzaretto joined the Glendale Police Department on May 3, 1987 where he was appointed as a reserve police officer. In 1991, he received the rank of officer and worked assignments in the juvenile, burglary, auto theft, arson, and robbery/homicide areas. Officer Chuck Lazzaretto is survived by his wife and two sons, Andrew and Matthew, his parents and three brothers.
Neighboring Burbank also recently suffered a loss of a police officer in the line of duty. Burbank Police Officer Matthew Pavelka was was fatally shot Nov. 15 after responding to a call for backup from another Burbank Police Officer. He was the first officer killed in the line of duty in the Burbank Police Department's 82-year history.
Nationwide, 142 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2001, including 72 killed on September 11th , according to the Associated Press. In 2000, 51 officers were killed while on duty. Every year, 1 in 9 officers are assaulted, 1 in 25 are injured, and 1 in 4,400 are killed in the line of duty.
This funding was included in the final House Omnibus Appropriations Bill for FY 04 - which passed the full House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate is slated to take up the Omnibus Appropriations Bill in early January 2004.
Rep. Schiff represents California’s 29th Congressional District, including the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.