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Keeping Our Communities Safe: Resources and Support for Public Safety |
 "I am honored to have the endorsement of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA), the largest police organization in our state." As Hennepin County Attorney, I lead an office of nearly 400 people who work with police and crime victims every day. I know that government’s first responsibility is to protect the safety of its citizens. I have witnessed firsthand the demands that are placed on law enforcement. The officers that serve our communities need adequate equipment, staff, and training to stay safe and to do their jobs well. Minnesotans want a timely, serious response to crime. We want support and advocacy for crime victims. Minnesotans also want to invest in initiatives to prevent crimes from happening. The federal government has an important role to play in ensuring that states and local governments have the resources to keep our neighborhoods safe.
I am honored to have the endorsement of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA), the largest police organization in our state. Those who have followed my record know that I do not just pay lip service to public safety issues—I work hard to change the laws and bring together partnerships to improve public safety. I believe the federal government can do more to support Minnesota's law enforcement, to honor our police, and to make Minnesotans safer. I believe that Members of Congress must fight to secure adequate resources for Minnesota's public safety initiatives, even if it means going against the proposals of the Bush Administration.
In the past few years, particularly since 9/11, police have been given increased responsibility. They have been expected to improve their ability to respond in a crisis. Unfortunately, they have been instructed to do their work with diminishing federal funds from sources that they used to depend upon. Minnesota has access to Homeland Security funding, but other important sources of funding for law enforcement are under attack. In the past, these federal funds were used to hire new police officers, purchase necessary equipment, train law enforcement officials, and acquire information systems to facilitate information coordination between first responders. During times when state and local budgets are tight, these federal funds have enabled law enforcement to fulfill their duties to protect Minnesotans.
In recent years, the Bush Administration has put federal funding programs for police departments on the chopping block again and again. In fact, combined cuts from this Congress to local law enforcement grants total $3 billion.
Minnesota continues to face threats to public safety, especially in the areas of school safety, violent crime, and drug abuse, especially the meth epidemic. At the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, I have made these issues a priority. However, Minnesota's public safety issues cannot be addressed without support from Congress and the federal government. I am committed to fighting for Minnesota's police officers and for the safety of our citizens.
The priorities in Washington need to change.
As your U.S. Senator, here's what I'll fight for:
• I will fight to preserve the federal programs that have made a difference for our police departments. I will work to ensure that Minnesota's law enforcement professionals have adequate funds for community policing by protecting and securing COPS funds for the state.
• I will work to ensure that our state and local communities have the support they need to hire, train, and equip law enforcement officers and other first responders. I will champion programs like the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program, and any resources or programs that allocate federal funds to Minnesota's communities and first responders to respond to crises or homeland security threats.
• I will fight to make sure that police officers have the support they need to prevent violent and drug-related crime. I will fight to make sure our government does its best to prevent crime from occurring, to enforce the laws, and to support victims. I will honor the commitment law enforcement has made to keeping our communities safe.
Click here to read about the endorsement Amy Klobuchar has received from the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA). |
On the Issues 
