WHEREAS, over the past three years state, local, tribal and university law enforcement agencies have been working tirelessly to combat the menace of terrorism in our homeland; and,

WHEREAS, operating in the post-September 11 environment, state, local, tribal and university police officers have been asked to tackle new challenges and confront a multitude of new threats; and,

WHEREAS, after September 11, agencies and officers who had been trained and equipped to deal with traditional crimes were forced to switch their focus to identifying and apprehending individuals operating with different motivations, who have different objectives and who use much deadlier weapons than traditional criminals; and,

WHEREAS, as a result of their efforts, state, local, tribal and university law enforcement agencies now play a vital and indispensable role in the investigation, prevention and response to terrorist acts, while at the same time they have continued to fulfill their primary responsibilities to protect our communities from more traditional acts of crime and violence; and,

WHEREAS, overcoming the difficulties posed in successfully meeting these dual responsibilities has been neither easy nor inexpensive; and,

WHEREAS, already tight state and municipal budgets have been forced to absorb the costs associated with increased training needs, overtime costs and equipment purchases and changes in the national alert status; and,

WHEREAS, these expenses have stretched both the manpower and financial resources of state, local, tribal and university police agencies to the breaking point; and,

WHEREAS, the funds provided by law enforcement assistance programs administered by the Department of Justice, such as the Community Oriented Policing Services program, the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program and the Byrne Grant Program have allowed state, local, tribal and university law enforcement agencies to increase their core capabilities and improve their overall effectiveness; and,

WHEREAS, the funds provided by the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, the Urban Area Security Initiative and other terrorism prevention programs that are administered by the Department of Homeland Security allow law enforcement to expand their capabilities and assist them in preparing to prevent and respond to future terrorist attacks; and,

WHEREAS, the funds provided by these programs can play a critical role in ensuring that state, local, tribal and university law enforcement agencies can meet the dual responsibilities of protecting our communities from crime and combating the menace of terrorism in our homeland; and, WHEREAS, the FY 2005 budget for the Department of Homeland Security cuts funding for the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention program by $681 million, a 22% reduction from FY 2004 levels; and,

WHEREAS, both the House and Senate versions of the FY 2005 Budget for the Department of Justice contain significant cuts to the COPS program, the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant Program; and,

WHEREAS, these reductions significantly diminish the vital and necessary assistance that these programs provide to state, local, tribal, and university law enforcement agencies; now therefore be it,

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) believes that reductions in these vital assistance programs have the potential to leave law enforcement agencies in the United States critically underfunded and understaffed, thereby significantly reducing their ability to fulfill their mission of protecting their communities and the citizens they serve from both crime and terrorism; and be it,

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP believes that at this crucial time in our history, we cannot afford to reduce the effectiveness of our nation’s state and local law enforcement agencies; and be it,

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP urges the Administration and all Members of Congress to support efforts that will ensure that critical law enforcement programs are funded at levels sufficient to meet the critical and pressing needs of the law enforcement community.