Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff announced that the House of Representatives passed a critical funding bill, which included money for three local law enforcement initiatives to fight gang violence and improve communication between law enforcement agencies and first responders. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Schiff requested the funding for the Glendale, Los Angeles, and Monterey Park initiatives.
The funding was included in the Foreign Operations Appropriations/Consolidated Appropriations bill (H.R. 2764). This bill is also known as the omnibus appropriations bill for the Fiscal Year 2008, because it packages together several funding measures into one single bill. The omnibus was necessary due to both the inability of the Senate to pass individual funding measures and the President’s vetoes.
Rep. Schiff supported $1,955,200 included in the measure for gang reduction activities in Los Angeles. The Gang Reduction Program in Los Angeles seeks to reduce gang crime and violence in local communities using prevention and intervention programs. The Gang Reduction Program also works in tandem with another anti-gang program, the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery (CLEAR) Program, to increase law enforcement efforts to fight gang violence and increase prosecutions of gang related crimes. In March, Rep. Schiff coordinated a meeting with the Chairman Alan Mollohan of the CJS Appropriation Subcommittee, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Police Chief William Bratton to discuss anti-gang funding for Los Angeles, and this funding is a culmination of that effort.
“Gang violence is a local, regional and national problem that knows no boundaries,” Schiff said. “It claims the lives of our youth, and we need a better coordinated effort to attack it. As a hotspot for gang violence affecting all the cities around it, Los Angeles can be – must be – a big part of the solution.”
“Prevention and intervention efforts are central components of our comprehensive gang reduction strategy,” Mayor Villaraigosa said earlier this year. “Thanks to Congressman Schiff's leadership, Los Angeles will receive the support and funding we need to reach out to communities, improve our anti-gang programs and tackle the ongoing challenge of gun and gang violence across the City.”
Rep. Schiff also announced that the bill includes an additional $80 million in assistance to state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime, with the bulk of this going to those areas plagued by violent gangs, such as Los Angeles. An additional $25 million is provided for prevention and intervention against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. Finally, the bill includes $4 million for 38 additional positions in the Office of U.S. Attorneys to combat violent gangs.
Rep. Schiff has long fought to combat gang participation and gang violence. Earlier this year he introduced the Gang Prevention, Intervention and Suppression Act (H.R. 3547) which would provide new resources for community-based gang prevention and intervention activities. The bill would also revise criminal laws and penalties to give gang prosecutors new tools in the fight against gang violence. The legislation will target resources to communities with severe gang activity and includes more than $1 billion in funding for law enforcement, prevention, and intervention programs.
“This funding will help fight gang violence head-on by providing new resources to prevent gang activity before it starts,” said Schiff. “Prevention of gang activity is essential and the one of the most effective ways of protecting our children and keeping them safe.”
The City of Glendale will receive $653,000 for the Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICIS). ICIS increases public safety by enabling local law enforcement, governments, and first responders to better communicate with each other during an emergency using one comprehensive integrated communication system. The ICIS system is the first and only interoperable communications radio system in use for public safety and general government within the Los Angeles area.
The system presently supports six member municipalities (Burbank, Glendale, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Pomona, and Montebello) and other subscriber agencies (San Fernando Police, San Marino Police, and soon the Bob Hope Burbank Airport Police). The system is expanding in the coming months, and public safety elements from another eight cities will be joining the system (Pasadena, South Pasadena, West Covina, Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Monterey Park, and Alhambra).
This project will help upgrade the ICIS Radio System to enhance government operations and disaster preparedness in Southern California. This ability to share information among multiple agencies is critical in fighting possible terrorist attacks, preventing crime, responding to natural disasters, and apprehending criminals.
The Monterey Park Police Department will receive $235,000 to replace and upgrade the police department’s current Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS). The upgrade will give the police the ability to better share information with neighboring cities in the Metropolitan Los Angeles area through interoperable communications technology. The ability to share information with agencies in the same area will allow first responders to coordinate and prepare for emergencies, resulting in a higher degree of public safety in the community.
“In the event of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, it is imperative that law enforcement and first responders have the ability to communicate with each other to coordinate an efficient and effective response,” said Schiff. “These communication systems can help save lives by enabling the brave men and women protecting our communities to do their jobs better.”
Rep. Schiff was appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and Financial Services Subcommittee. He also serves on the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel and the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.
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