WHEREAS, on October 1, 1994, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) was created by the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act, which had been passed by the United States Congress, and signed by the President; and

WHEREAS, the COPS program has promoted the implementation of community policing in law enforcement agencies across the State of Florida and throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement, through community policing initiatives has significantly improved the quality of life by reducing violence, crime and disorder in their communities; and

WHEREAS, the COPS program partnership between the federal government and local governments through the COPS program has helped achieve major reductions in crime in cities of all sizes throughout the state of Florida and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Justice and the COPS Office have administered the COPS program so that needed funds are quickly and efficiently made available to local communities; and

WHEREAS, in many cities, facilities, equipment and resources are insufficient to meet the policing needs; and

WHEREAS, community policing has developed into one of the best partnership programs between federal and local governments; and

WHEREAS, the nation must remain diligent on crime prevention and control efforts to ensure that past gains are maintained and that crime rates are further reduced, especially as they relate to youth violence and crime; and

WHEREAS, the authorization for the COPS program expires after fiscal year 2000; and

WHEREAS, the Administration has proposed in the "21st Century Law Enforcement and Public Safety Act," a five year reauthorization of the COPS program through fiscal year 2005; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT, the Florida Police Chiefs Association supports the COPS program and urges Congress to reauthorize the program beyond fiscal year 2000 to facilitate the implementation of community policing and provide for the following:

• availability of funding beyond the initial three years of the program for officers in communities where fiscal constraints require ongoing support;
  
  
• flexibility in the use of monies to support overtime for initiatives that directly relate to community oriented policing programs; and



• funding for technology such as crime mapping, communications systems and facilities which directly support community policing efforts.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this ^14th DAY OF JUNE, 2000, by the members of the Florida Police Chiefs Association in Ft. Myers, Florida.