WEINER RELEASES NEW DATA:
NEW YORK CITY LOSING FEDERAL FUNDS TO HIRE POLICE
______________
CALLS ON MAYOR TO JOIN BIPARTISAN FIGHT
TO SAVE THE “C.O.P.S.” PROGRAM
New York City – According to new data released by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens & Brooklyn) today, New York City has been steadily losing federal funding to hire police officers under the Bush and Bloomberg Administrations.
Weiner, who is the sponsor of the Community Oriented Policing Services or C.O.P.S. program and a member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the data after the Mayor failed to address concerns about the reduced funding during a visit by the Bush Administration’s top law enforcement official to New York City. Weiner called on the Mayor to join the bipartisan fight to save C.O.P.S.
NEW YORK CITY LOSING FUNDS TO HIRE POLICE:
-
Funding received by the NYPD from C.O.P.S. has dropped from its peak in 1998 of $172 million to $6.25 million in 2004--a drop of 96.4%.
-
The number of NYPD police hired under the C.O.P.S. program has dropped from its peak of 2,580 officers in 1998, to 50 in 2004--a drop of 98%.
-
National funding for C.O.P.S. has dropped from its peak in 1998 of $1.4 billion to $151 million in 2005—an 89% drop.
-
During the Bloomberg years, federal C.OP.S. funding has dropped 56.4% (from $346 million to $150 million) and New York’s share has fallen 30% (from 9 million to $6.25 million—an all time low).
City
-
Under Bloomberg the NYPD has shrunk from 36,790 to 34,774 officers.
Created in 1994, to put more police on the streets, C.O.P.S. has been one of the most successful crime fighting programs in U.S. history.
More than 7,000 police officers have been hired in New York City alone using C.O.P.S. funds.
However, President Bush has been determined to kill the C.O.P.S. program since gaining office—proposing the elimination of the hiring component every year.
The result for New York City has been dramatic cuts in federal funds used to hire community police officers.
But instead of complaining, Mayor Bloomberg has only had good things to say about President Bush. “I think he’s a great President,” says Bloomberg, “and I’m going to support him to the end.” (New York Sun, 2/25/04).
United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales wrapped up a visit to New York City yesterday. Gonzales’s Department of Justice administers the C.O.P.S. program.
“Mayor Bloomberg should take every opportunity to fight for what this city needs, including standing up when Bush Administration officials come to town,” said Rep. Weiner. “Those of us fighting for more C.O.P.S. funding in Washington sure could use the help, and so could our hard working police officers. Maybe he’s not the kind of guy to fly down to DC to make his case, but when they come to our home turf the Mayor has to stand up and fight.”
Rep. Weiner is the sponsor of the C.O.P.S. program. His bill, which currently has 102 cosponsors, would provide $6 billion over six years nationwide to hire new police officers and community prosecutors, and fund crime fighting technologies.
