PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION (2018) - National League of Cities
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION (2018)
Primer
Providing for the public’s safety is ultimately the responsibility of municipal government and one
of its highest priorities. “Public safety” means not only putting an end to the levels of crime and
violence that impact the everyday lives of our residents, but just as importantly, delivering life-
saving rescue services, preventing fires, and preparing for and responding effectively to foreign
and domestic terrorism, natural and manmade disasters, and pandemic events.
The list below is a summary of all the federal policy objectives contained in the Public Safety and
Crime Prevention chapter of NLC’s National Municipal Policy. The purpose of the summary is to
provide a quick reference guide in responding to most legislative and regulatory actions that may
affect local authority over public safety programs.
NLC SUPPORTS FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND FUNDING THAT HELP CITIES…
• implement the principles of community policing within their local law enforcement agencies.
• target, prosecute and convict violent criminals, drug dealers, sex offenders and human
traffickers.
• reduce gun violence.
• prevent hate crimes and youth violence.
• establish initiatives that reduce the need for the incarceration of at risk youth, mentally ill and
non-violent drug offenders.
• provide assistance to victims of crime.
• address problems associated with of domestic violence through prevention, intervention,
treatment, and effective prosecution.
• manage drug abuse prevention, education, treatment, and community wellness programs.
• reintegrate convicted offenders, who have completed their sentence, back in to the community.
• fight cybercrimes and cyberattacks.
• mitigate risk, respond to and recover from natural and manmade disasters.
• share information and intelligence among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
• maintain safe and secure roads and public transit systems.
• improve first responder voice and data communications, public alerting and 9-1-1 calling systems.
• acquire and maintain first responder equipment and technology.
• train law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical personnel.
• safeguard civil liberties and privacy of its citizens while ensuring public safety.
NLC OPPOSES ANY FEDERAL MANDATE THAT…
• is unfunded or underfunded.
• reduces or restricts local control of public safety programs.
• limits a local governments ability to enact laws to improve public safety.
• imposes or increases the liability or risk to a local government.
• conscripts local government personnel to enforce federal immigration laws.
• adopts or gives legal status to law enforcement, fire and emergency medical standards
developed by bodies not having adequate representation by elected officials.
• restricts local governments ability to participate in programs that support local, state and
federal law enforcement partnerships.
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
1826.00 Introduction B. Goals
Prevention of crime and violence is the goal;
The primary goal of local public safety and public safety education is the key. This can
crime prevention efforts is to ensure that the be done by such efforts as implementing drug
nation’s cities and towns provide a safe, awareness programs, restricting access to
healthy environment in which residents can guns, increasing recreational programs,
live. To achieve this goal, federal, state and returning schools to the “safe havens” they
local officials must view the safety of the once were, providing children with
community in holistic terms. Officials must successful role models, and celebrating
recognize the danger of focusing exclusively positive successes of our youth. This nation
on prevention, intervention, response or needs to view young people as assets – not
punishment. Public safety efforts are more liabilities.
likely to result in safer communities if all
solutions are integrated into a single strategy. Action must be taken to prevent crime and
violence in our communities. To accomplish
this, NLC:
6.01 Crime Prevention
• Strongly supports community policing
efforts;
A. Problem Statement
Crime prevention is everyone’s • Supports adequate and direct federal anti-
responsibility because crime and violence drug, anti-violence and gang prevention
plague all American cities and towns. funding to cities and towns that can be
Serious discussions continue to be held by all directed towards community policing
levels of government over the complex efforts, anti-crime and violence activities,
coordinated services that can make a and rural enforcement programs;
difference, but substantive action has been • Cities must continue to partner and
slow in coming. These services include collaborate with state and federal
preschool education, recreation, government to help combat youth and
neighborhood and employment programs gang violence;
targeted for youth, substance abuse treatment • Cities should continue to work with state
on demand, victims assistance programs, and federal government agencies to
economic development, and job training and provide resources for transitional services
creation. to all prisoners reentering society;
• Urges a greater role for municipal elected
The attention of all levels of government officials in federal decision-making
should not only be aimed at the perpetrators regarding the local use and expenditure of
of crime and violence, but also their victims. federal anti-crime and violence funds.
Toward this end, NLC supports direct federal This would allow flexibility to redirect
funding to cities for local victims assistance financial resources from drug interdiction
efforts and programs funded through an activities to prevention and treatment;
office for victims of crime. • Urges on-going reevaluation of state and
federal laws and regulations related to
The practice of community policing is an public safety and crime prevention issues.
important part of crime prevention and has This reevaluation should include a review
helped to return a sense of unity between of laws and regulations which address the
local law enforcement and the community. age at which juveniles are charged as
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
183adults and should include the input of C. Weapons and Ammunition Control
municipal elected officials; The growing illegal use of firearms in cities
• Urges the federal government to continue and towns throughout this nation is the
to gather information on hate crimes, common denominator for most violent
family status, educational level and deaths. Firearms do not kill and maim
income as well as race in its crime without someone pulling a trigger.
statistics on perpetrators and victims and Controlling weapons and ammunition is just
give the reporting of these variables equal part of a more comprehensive effort
prominence; necessary to reduce violent acts. NLC urges
• Encourages federal law enforcement all levels of government to adopt statutory,
officials to investigate and prosecute regulatory, and policy actions to confront,
cases in which crimes occur because of curb, and eventually eliminate firearms
the real or perceived race, national origin, violence in America. Specifically, NLC asks
religion, gender, sexual orientation or the federal government to:
disability of a victim. Such investigation • Provide funding and resources to the ATF
and prosecution should not supersede the to help facilitate efforts of states and
right of state and local communities to localities to register guns;
legislate and prosecute in the area of hate • Continue to enact initiatives and
crimes; strengthen laws imposing enhanced
• Urges Congress to continue to support the sentences for the use of a firearm in the
efforts of the National Crime Prevention commission of any federal, state, or local
Council (NCPC) which has provided crime;
cities and towns with the hands-on, how- • Strongly support enhanced programs to
to, materials and publications to assist arrest gun traffickers and shut down the
citizens in their efforts to organize and illegal sale and distribution of firearms;
fight back against crime and violence; • Regulate, in a manner consistent with the
• Urges the United States government to Constitution, Internet facilitated firearms
use all means at its disposal to secure the commerce and provide the same
extradition of those alleged to have oversight as other types of commerce
committed crimes against the people of involving the sale and/or transfer of
the United States; and ownership of firearms; grant authority to
• Encourages and supports federal efforts the appropriate Federal agency to
to address the growing forms of regulate and otherwise oversee the
electronic or “cyberspace” crimes design, safety, and responsible marketing
through the Department of Justice and and sales of firearms;
other federal law enforcement agencies. • Support flexible federal funding for local
Cooperation, specialized training and programs that address gun violence and
tracking equipment is essential for promote gun safety;
federal, state and local law enforcement • Continue the federal ban on all
personnel. Continued federal funding to manufacture, sale, importation or use of
train local governments and law armor-piercing bullets that can penetrate
enforcement agencies on how to deter,
identify, and capture cybercriminals is
essential to prevent and detect on-line
crime.
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
184bullet-proof vests except for legitimate • Require that the background of an
use by the military and police officers.1 individual who acquires a weapon from a
• Support passage of federal, state, and pawnshop, gun show or online seller shall
local laws imposing substantial be subject to the same scrutiny as an
mandatory sentences, with no possibility individual who purchases a firearm from
of parole, probation, or suspended a federal firearms licensee;
sentence for the use of armor-piercing • Enact federal legislation that would allow
bullets in the commission of any crime; states and/or local governments to adopt
• Ban the manufacture, sale, importation, stricter standards and rules regarding
or transfer of all automatic and semi- purchase, storage and possession of
automatic assault type weapons except firearms; and
for legitimate use as authorized by the • Enact federal legislation to prohibit an
National Firearms Act (NFA) and by the individual under the age of 21 from
military or law enforcement; purchasing or possessing an assault rifle
• Apply a waiting period of up to 30 days and or handgun.
for the purchase or transfer of all guns so • Urge firearm manufacturers to be
that local police agencies may check the responsible corporate citizens by:
criminal and mental health status of 1) including safety devices with their
purchasers. products and developing new
• Expand and enhance the National Instant technologies to make guns safer;
Criminal Background Check System 2) selling only to authorized dealers and
(NICS) to ensure every states criminal distributors, and allow their
records are easily entered and updated authorized distributors to sell only to
and to require anyone who is selling or authorized dealers;
transferring a gun to check appropriate 3) allowing no firearm sales at gun
records through and authorized federal shows or similar events unless all
firearms licensee (FFL) to ensure the background checks are completed;
person acquiring the firearm is not a 4) not selling firearms that can readily
prohibited person.; be converted into fully automatic
• Require federal licensing of gun dealers. weapons or that are resistant to
Applicants for Federal Firearms Dealer fingerprints;
licenses should be required to show proof 5) not selling large (more than 10
of compliance with state and local laws to rounds) capacity ammunition clips;
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and 6) maintaining an electronic inventory
Firearms (ATF) before the agency issues tracking plan; and
a gun dealer license. The ATF must be 7) forgoing firearms sales to licensed
required to provide each general purpose dealers known to be under
government with a list of that indictment.
jurisdiction’s Federally Licensed
Firearms Dealers annually;
1
Armor-piercing ammunition, sometimes referred to as metal-piercing ammunition, is ammunition that is designed primarily to
penetrate metal or armor, including body armor commonly worn by police officers. Under federal law, armor-piercing
ammunition is defined as any projectile or projectile core that may be used in a handgun and that is constructed entirely from one
or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium. (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(17); 27
C.F.R. § 478.11) In addition, armor-piercing ammunition is defined as a full jacketed projectile “larger than .22 caliber designed
and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.” 18
U.S.C. § 921(a)(17)(B). 18 U.S.C. § 923(k)
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
185D. Youth Oriented Crime Prevention NLC supports:
It is essential that all levels of government, • Federal assistance for the establishment
community leaders, the business community, and operation of youth courts to ensure
and residents work together to create and swift and appropriate sanctions for
sustain environments in which violence is not certain juvenile offenses;
a pervading presence in the everyday lives of • Direct, flexible funding to municipalities
our nation’s children. for local juvenile justice and delinquency
prevention initiatives with strict
1. Youth and Gang Crime and Violence limitations on the amount of federal funds
Federal juvenile justice efforts within the that can be used for administrative costs
Department of Justice have not had enough to ensure that a high percentage of the
resources devoted to them to address the full funds go to the local level; and
range of problems in the area of youth • Continued federal technical assistance to
victimization and youth crime. train local governments on how to apply
for federal funds administered through
Youth crime has been associated with states and units of local governments.
increased gang activity across the nation.
Many schools and public facilities have 2. Sentencing
become battle grounds for youth gang NLC believes that, except in cases of federal
members. As gang activities have become crimes, the federal government should not be
increasingly mobile in crossing geographical involved in juvenile sentencing – this is a
boundaries, NLC urges the federal state and local function.
government to continue its work toward
placing increased penalties on gang-related 3. Corrections
crimes, such as prosecuting offenders under The federal government should provide
organized crime statutes. funding for mandates imposed on state and
local governments that call for more
The federal government must prioritize
establishing and maintaining effective accountability in punishing juvenile
juvenile crime and gang prevention programs offenders. Currently not enough juvenile
on the local level by directly funding city, holding facilities are available to adequately
town, and multi-jurisdictional initiatives. meet the demands of the justice system.
Federal partnership and collaboration with Overcrowding and the high costs of
cities and towns is the best way to take implementing specific separation
advantage of local leadership on this issue
requirements are problems that severely
while encouraging innovative thinking and
cooperation across jurisdictions and levels of hinder rehabilitation efforts. More flexibility
government. is needed in all areas of juvenile corrections,
including juvenile detention facilities and the
The federal role in juvenile justice should education of juvenile offenders. NLC urges
also focus on support services for state and the federal government to provide sufficient
local governments and information gathering
funding for all phases of all juvenile justice
and dissemination in the areas of
rehabilitation of juveniles and progressive mandates to achieve desired results.
sanctions.
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
1864. School Safety enforcement agencies, would establish
The federal government must provide benchmarks for consistent guidelines on
increased federal funding to augment local reporting school crime and violence.
efforts aimed at improving school safety, NLC calls for a consistent commitment
such as School Resource Officers. The long- among all levels of government, school
term effectiveness of programs that help to systems, businesses, and community groups
improve school safety can succeed with to ensure that public safety contributes to a
continued investments by federal, state, and good quality-of-life in all communities.
local governments. The federal government
must provide funding for the implementation 5. Mass Media and Media Violence
of effective intergovernmental partnerships NLC urges the federal government to adopt
to truly achieve the goal of developing a an approach toward violence in the media
comprehensive approach to school safety, that emphasizes alternative approaches
including comprehensive mental health which encourage and applaud pro-social
treatment and counseling for all youth and values, demystify violence, and teach youth
their families, sensitivity training programs, how to handle frustration, prevent suicide,
and other services that help prevent students and deal with conflict.
from becoming perpetrators or victims of
crime and violence. NLC supports entertainment rating systems
that will provide advance notice of violent
The federal government should increase content in programming. NLC supports a
flexible funding for Title V, juvenile justice federal public health campaign in schools
programs and innovative approaches to that targets violence in a manner similar to
school safety that can be replicated by that used to combat drunk driving.
communities across the nation. The federal
government must work with state and local The federal government must:
authorities to establish more uniform • Provide a clearinghouse that coordinates
guidelines and recommend mandatory and evaluates recently conducted credible
reporting for crime and violent incidents in studies on the mental health implications
schools. School districts should be required of mass media violence; and
to provide the U.S. Department of Education • Provide flexible, direct funding and/or
and other federal agencies, as well as state assistance for Internet filtering
education agencies and state and local law capabilities for our nation’s libraries,
enforcement agencies, with school incident schools, community centers and other
reports. The school districts should also local public facilities that provide
provide these agencies with an analysis of children access to computers and other
incidents and intervention techniques to interactive media.
create a national database of school crime and
violence incidents and “best practices” for E. Substance Abuse
intervention. Substance abuse is a public safety concern.
Illegal drugs, as well as alcohol and
This responsibility to report creates a difficult prescription drug abuse, are all straining the
task of defining what a violent incident is. capabilities and resources of governments,
Intergovernmental cooperation, to establish especially public safety budgets.
reporting standards and criteria for federal,
state, and local education and law
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
187Despite considerable efforts, there has been • Funding for hazardous material
little discernible progress being made in equipment and training that reduces the
reducing the social costs of drug abuse. occupational health issues associated
Efforts to control drug trafficking have been, with methamphetamine lab and other
for the most part, unsuccessful. Local law drug production lab seizures and clean-
enforcement efforts continue to be hampered up; and
by inadequate and ill-defined state and • Technical assistance, national
federal laws, limited resources, overcrowded information sharing services, and direct
prisons, and overburdened criminal justice fiscal support for Prescription Drug
systems. Monitoring Programs; and,
• Increasing the ease of access to and
Drug abuse prevention is under-funded, prevalence of safe, environmentally
particularly at the federal level, and there is sound disposal of prescription drugs
uncertainty and disagreement at all levels of through convenient take-back options for
government about what constitutes all unwanted prescription drug
prevention. Currently, federal funding is medications.
focused on programs which stress care to the
chronic substance abuser, while providing 1. Economic Deterrents
only minimal attention to programs aimed at In order to effectively address the drug issue,
preventing the proliferation of illegal alcohol the economic incentive is a critical element to
and drug use. any anti-drug strategy. To do so, NLC
supports the following actions:
NLC supports a comprehensive strategy for • Aggressively using all legal means to
substance abuse prevention, intervention, pursue actions against financial
treatment and law enforcement, including institutions that knowingly conduct
alternatives to incarceration. NLC further financial transactions which involve
urges that a balance in expenditures should be proceeds from unlawful activity;
sought between prevention, treatment and • Withholding foreign aid to source
corrections. NLC supports: countries being uncooperative in
interdiction efforts;
• Federal research into alternative • Developing treaties with countries to
sentencing programs for non-violent drug restrict the flow of precursor chemicals
use offenses; into drug manufacturing countries; and
• Funding for the creation of non- • Seizing the assets of individuals
incarceration alternatives for non-violent convicted for involvement in illegal drug
drug use offenses; activity. These funds should go to local
• Federal funding and standardized training law enforcement agencies.
for law enforcement, fire fighters, public
emergency medical personnel, and other 2. Enforcement
first responders on identifying, seizing Current enforcement efforts have simply not
and clean-up of illicit drug producing been effective in controlling the
labs; manufacturing, sale, distribution and use of
• Reimbursement of the cost associated in illicit drugs. NLC believes that better
the clean-up and damages to property definitions in state and federal laws related to
contaminated by illicit drug producing illicit drug and alcohol use will enhance
labs; enforcement efforts.
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
188To improve this situation, sufficient federal • Federal funding and assistance to every
resources must be committed to ensure that state to establish and maintain
enforcement strategies are realistic and are Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
coordinated with efforts in education, (PDMP) and to ensure these programs
prevention, treatment and research. achieve data uniformity and implement
information sharing across all state
NLC supports: PDMPs. The federal government should
• The maintenance of adequate funding for also require healthcare providers utilize
local, federal and state law enforcement the PDMP prior to prescribing
agencies to deal with drug-related medications to patients.
problems;
• An increased focus on enforcement F. Domestic Violence
against those involved in cases that are Domestic violence is a serious social crime
determined as high-level manufacturing, and a criminal justice problem that
sales and distribution of illicit drugs, significantly impacts our nation’s cities and
especially those selling or furnishing towns in a variety of ways, including
illegal drugs to minors; emergency shelters, schools, law
• Prosecution to the fullest extent of the law enforcement and emergency medical service
for those involved in violent crime related agencies, and the courts. Domestic violence
to illegal drug use; crosses all socio-economic strata and should
• Increased penalties for those convicted of not be viewed as a private family matter, but
drug offenses where firearms are in the context of other crimes and problems
possessed by the offender; requiring prevention, intervention, and
• Increasing the use of federal law prosecution.
enforcement in the interdiction, arrest,
search, and seizure of illicit use and sale All levels of government must make
of drugs; domestic violence initiatives a priority on
• Federal assistance in the arrest and their agendas. Federal legislation should be
prosecution of those responsible for the enacted to provide funding and support for
death or injury of public safety and law local government programs to address the
enforcement personnel involving official problems of domestic violence through
investigations of illegal drug operations; prevention, intervention, treatment, and
• The utilization of extradition as a key tool effective prosecution. Legislation must take
in combating international trafficking; into account the potential impacts on already
overburdened probation and parole
• The immediate deportation of illegal
departments.
immigrants convicted of offenses related
to the illicit sale of drugs after the court’s
NLC encourages the federal government to:
disposition has been fulfilled;
• Provide funding and assistance to
• The aggressive pursuit and prosecution of
maintain successful domestic violence
medical personnel illicitly prescribing,
programs already in existence, to initiate
selling, administering, dispensing,
demonstration projects, and to aid local
mixing or otherwise preparing any
governments and organizations in
prescription drug, including any
modeling programs after successful
controlled substance under state or
holistic approaches;
federal law; and
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
189• Establish a central point for the collection factors prior to release and then require these
and dissemination of information on prisoners to seek continued treatment prior to
domestic violence programs taking place and upon re-entry. Furthermore, the federal
across the country that includes examples government should encourage state
of what is and is not working, the governments to require policies mandating
progress of legislative initiatives at both that all state prisoners have DNA collected
the state and federal levels, recent studies during the initial screening and exiting
on domestic violence issues, and other process in an effort to solve open cases.
relevant information;
• Assist all levels of government in the For prisoner reentry to succeed, reintegration
development of programs that work with must be emphasized as soon as a prisoner
children exposed to domestic violence enters a correctional institution. Emphasis
and in the development of general must be placed on identifying a prisoner’s
education programs for all children on specific risk factors, providing treatment
domestic violence issues; and while in custody, and following up with
• Fully fund the Violence Against Women community-based treatment once a prisoner
Act programs, as well as, efforts which is released. Programs must be implemented
support the abolition of physical, sexual on both the federal and state level to involve
and psychological human rights abuse the prisoner’s family unit or mentor in any
and oppression of women. decisions or treatment plans, both during
incarceration and at the time of release.
G. Prisoner Reentry Federal grant money is needed to fund
Each year prisoners are released back into community-based intervention and treatment
society without access to immediate programs focusing on the issues of housing,
supervision and/or support. These prisoners job opportunities and training, mental health
face a multitude of problems including screening and treatment, substance abuse,
homelessness, a lack of job opportunities, healthcare, education, and family
educational deficits, mental health issues, reunification. In addition, attention must be
substance abuse, infectious diseases, and no paid to the specific struggles and barriers
connection to their families and associated with youth prisoner re-entry.
communities. Over half of all released Often, youth leaving the criminal justice
prisoners will be rearrested causing increased system lack age-appropriate levels of
costs and burdens for cities. education, needed social and developmental
skills, and are returning to environments that
In order to combat this problem, the federal do not foster rehabilitation and development.
government must provide local and state Emphasis must be placed on creating the
governments with resources and funding for necessary support systems and opportunities
transitional services to all prisoners in the to help youth transition into adulthood,
areas of housing, education, mental health reintegrate into communities, and stop cycles
treatment, substance abuse counseling, of recidivism.
employment opportunities, and healthcare.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice Successful federal, state, and local pilot
should adopt a policy mandating that all projects must be expanded to address
federal prisoners be screened for challenges related to prisoner reentry and the
drug/alcohol addiction, mental health full spectrum of problems. The federal
problems, infectious diseases and other risk government should fund programs that
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
190include the cooperation of corrections I. Stopping Human Trafficking
officials, probation and parole officers, Human trafficking is a modern-day form of
former offenders who can serve as mentors, slavery that impacts people of all ages and of
families, police, prosecutors, the court both genders, where services, labor, or sex
system, mental health administrators, are supplied by victims who are forced,
healthcare providers, housing agencies and defrauded or coerced to work through such
rental advocates, substance abuse counselors, methods as involuntary servitude, debt
businesses, educational and vocational bondage, and forced labor. At the heart of this
training providers, victim advocates, heinous crime are the myriad forms of
community- and/or faith-based enslavement – not the activities involved in
organizations, neighborhood associations international transportation—and hundreds
and coalitions, researchers and records of thousands of U.S. citizens and other
personnel, and public affairs officers. permanent residents, including kidnapped
and homeless youth, are considered to be at
Congress should pass legislation risk for or victims of trafficking. Victims of
guaranteeing that appropriate programs such human trafficking live among us in our cities
as Medicaid, Social Security Disability, and towns, but are typically captive and
educational or vocational retraining, and isolated, unaware of their rights, powerless to
other federal benefits, are available to eligible access services, and afraid to ask law
individuals on the first day of their release, enforcement and other authority figures for
ensuring access to the necessary services and help. Combating human trafficking requires
resources vital to making a successful a collaborative, comprehensive approach
transition back into society. across all levels of government.
H. Driving Under the Influence and To combat human trafficking, sufficient
Distracted Driving federal resources must be committed to
The enforcement of laws for distracted ensure that law enforcement strategies are
driving (including texting or the use of realistic and are coordinated with efforts in
mobile devices) and driving under the education, prevention, and support of
influence, adjudication of cases, treatment of victims.
offenders, prudent punishment of repeat
offenders and the development of public NLC supports:
awareness are all important state and local • Congressional action that will provide
functions. adequate funding for the Trafficking
Victims Protection Reauthorization Act,
The role of the federal government, through which gives law enforcement additional
the National Highway Traffic Safety tools and resources to prevent human
Administration in assisting state and local trafficking, investigate human trafficking
governments should continue and be crimes, promote increased cooperation
expanded. These efforts should focus public among federal agencies, between the U.S.
attention on the distracted driving and driving and other countries, and between federal,
under the influence problem, facilitate public state and local law enforcement.
and private sector actions to counter the • Congressional authorization and funding
problem and provide administrative support of block grants to localities to support
for interstate coordination of driving under comprehensive local approaches to
the influence countermeasure efforts. stopping sex trafficking of minors
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
191through prevention, support for victims, service personnel, and others) to properly
and resources and support for the police respond to mental health calls. Federal
and prosecutors who pursue justice programs that fund joint efforts between law
against traffickers, pimps and others who enforcement and health officials to reduce
participate in or coordinate these crimes. repeat calls for service and better serve
• Federal programs that train key state, people with mental illness are also crucial to
local government, and non-profit reducing unnecessary interactions between
personnel, as well as make efforts to police and the mentally ill.
increase the public’s awareness of human
trafficking. Mentally ill persons who do not receive
psychiatric treatment and/or fail to comply
J. Mental Illness and Criminal Justice with their medications regimen are
As people with mental illnesses continue to significantly more likely to face arrest. For
come in contact with the criminal justice this reason, NLC supports funding for
system, communities across the United States programs that improve the screening of
struggle to develop interventions and incoming jail and prison detainees for mental
supports that improve outcomes for these illness; the diversion of individuals to mental
individuals, their service providers, and the health programs when appropriate;
public. increasing the availability of grants for
mental health courts and other diversion
How the criminal justice community engages efforts; providing intensive treatment while
people with mental illness is a matter of incarcerated, when necessary; requiring
national concern. Untreated mental illness Bureau of Justice Statistics to regularly
often leads to volatile situations that require update the “Mental Health Problems of
law enforcement to intervene. These Prison and Jail Inmates; and ensuring
interactions can require special training, be transitional services when leaving jail. These
difficult to resolve, and create unique risks to programs ultimately reduce the likelihood
the safety of all involved. that mentally ill individuals will return to
incarceration or have a future interaction with
In 2004, Congress passed the Mentally Ill law enforcement. (NLC’s policies on Mental
Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Health are detailed further in the HD
Act (MIOTCRA), which enhances local Chapter of the National Municipal Policy.)
public safety by funding training for law
enforcement officers on how to identify and K. Equity in the Criminal Justice System
respond to incidents involving people with Every person has a right to expect equal
mental illnesses, increasing mental health treatment by law enforcement officers,
courts nationwide, improving collaboration prosecuting authorities, judges and
between criminal justice and mental health correctional officials. Discriminatory
systems, and improving access to effective enforcement of criminal laws has a corrosive
treatment. effect on our cities and towns, undermining
the confidence of the community in law
NLC supports MIOTCRA federal efforts that enforcement and interfering with our efforts
provide additional resources for veteran to prevent crime and prosecute offenders.
treatment courts, and increases resources and
training for first responders (law Unfortunately, our country has a long history
enforcement, fore, emergency medical of disparate treatment in our criminal justice
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
192system. Numerous studies confirm that racial Public safety requires the commitment of all
minorities, especially African Americans and levels of government. Information sharing
Latinos, are more likely to be arrested, more among levels of government must be
likely to be prosecuted and more likely to be comprehensive and timely. Through the joint
incarcerated for offenses than whites accused efforts of local, state, and federal
of the same crime. governments, as well as the responsible
actions of individual residents and corporate
NLC supports federal legislation and action citizens alike, the safety and well-being of
which eliminates discrimination in the our business and civic communities can be
enforcement of our criminal justice system. controlled successfully.
NLC opposes profiling of suspects based
solely on race, ethnic origin, religion, gender B. Goals
identity, poverty or other similar factors. • In order to keep our cities and towns safe:
The federal government should assist
In addition, the federal government should cities and towns across the nation in
assist local law enforcement agencies in their acquiring modern emergency
efforts to provide data collection and analysis communications capabilities and
education and training for law enforcement advanced law enforcement technology;
officers regarding appropriate investigative and
and enforcement techniques. • Federal, state and local law enforcement
must share information and intelligence
L. Poverty across intergovernmental and
Crime statistics demonstrate the significantly jurisdictional boundaries.
greater risks of direct criminal victimization
of poor people.2 In addition, indirect C. Public Safety Technology and
victimization of crime also falls Intelligence
disproportionately on poor individuals. 1. Public Safety Technology and Intelligence
Neighborhoods with large concentrations of Goals
low income people are also generally the NLC urges the federal government to assist
geographic areas of cities in which there are local governments across the nation in
greater reports of crime, particularly street acquiring modern emergency
crime. Other chapters of the National
Municipal Policy cover a variety of programs communications capabilities and advanced
and initiatives to reduce poverty and address law enforcement technology. Specifically,
affordable housing issues. These should be the federal government should:
viewed as a way to get at the root causes of • Make surplus equipment available to
crime and violence. local governments (without undue
restrictions on use) that would improve
6.02 Public Safety emergency response capabilities;
• Provide funding for research and training
A. Problem Statement opportunities and publicize these
opportunities;
2
Marcus Berzofsky, Dr.P.H., RTI International, Lance Couzens, RTI International, Erika Harrell, Ph.D., BJS
Statistician, Lynn Langton, Ph.D., BJS Statistician, Hope Smiley-McDonald, Ph.D., RTI International, “Household
Poverty And Nonfatal Violent Victimization, 2008–2012” Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics,
November 18, 2014, http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5137.
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
193• Make direct, flexible grants to local response. No man, woman, or child should
governments for local law enforcement lose his/her life because public safety
and fire safety training and equipment; officials cannot communicate with one
• Conduct regular, well publicized training another.
sessions and provide coordinated
technical assistance to local public safety The federal government should take
personnel operating public safety immediate action to provide local
technologies; governments with the broadcast channels
• Encourage manufacturers to make public needed to enhance their communications
safety equipment available at reasonable capabilities. Reliable and interoperable
costs to local government that can be wireless communications are essential to
easily upgraded for future purposes; public safety’s mission to protect life and
• Provide technical assistance and funds to property.
local police for the adoption of advanced
policing technology, particularly The federal government should encourage
alternative use of force options that help regional planning for public safety
safely deescalate violent situations; and communication needs and address the current
• Provide technical assistance and support shortage of spectrum channels with a long-
to established intergovernmental term plan that ensures sufficient and
institutions to ensure a collaborative appropriate spectrum to meet future public
exchange of information that maximizes safety needs across the nation,
resources, streamlines operations, and communications equipment with open
improves the ability to fight crime and standards, and funding for the necessary
terrorism by merging data from a variety building, operation, and maintenance of a
of sources. national interoperable emergency
communications system. If federal
NLC strongly urges flexibility in the use of reallocation of radio spectrum forces a
federal public safety funds for upgraded municipality to change radio frequencies
technology and training. Many and/or channels to preserve its public safety
municipalities face great difficulty in and emergency communications services,
purchasing necessary public safety there should be prompt and fair
equipment because of budget constraints or compensation made for transfer costs, such as
inability to qualify for available funds. New new equipment and additional personnel and
duties placed on law enforcement related to training. (NLC’s policies on public safety
homeland security have constrained budgets communications are detailed further in the
further. NLC urges the federal government ITC Chapter of the National Municipal
to assist all municipalities with public safety Policy.)
advancements without imposing stringent
compliance guidelines. The federal government should also link all
emergency warning systems across the
2. Emergency Communications nation, supplying all areas with appropriate
Having the capability to transmit vital equipment so that no area is left unprotected.
information to different emergency response Emergency alert systems should be used to
personnel among all levels of government ensure that any presidentially declared
without interference and delay is key to emergency, homeland security, and National
disaster preparedness and emergency Weather Services alerts are timely and
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
194accurate and provide direction on corrections, parole agencies, and other
recommended protective measures local relevant agencies. This integrated system
governments should take when the threat would be particularly useful to localities in
level is increased. Local governments should securing essential data during a time of
be reimbursed for any costs associated with emergency or disaster.
heightened alerts.
Advanced public safety technologies
NLC urges the federal government to ensure including mobile data terminals, geographic
that all areas of the country have access to information systems, and biometric
modernized 9-1-1 technology for emergency information repositories increase efficiency
use. Currently, cities and towns that do not and can help return law enforcement officers
have timely emergency response services to the streets, enhancing community policing
usually have not implemented a 9-1-1 system efforts. The collection and analysis of
or their systems are antiquated. NLC also biometric evidence - particularly DNA- has
urges the federal government, in particular proven a valuable tool in identifying suspects
the Department of Justice and the Federal in both violent and non-violent crimes, as
Communications Commission, to continue well as ruling out innocent individuals, and
its efforts to improve the wireless 9-1-1 or E expansion of its use should be supported at
9-1-1 services by working in partnership with the federal level.
state and local land use authorities, public
safety officials, and the telecommunications Ultimately, the use of modern technology
industry. The telecommunications industry results in cost efficiencies because it allows
must fully develop and fund wireless for better management of workloads,
emergency locater services and tracking streamlines processes, and provides rapid
systems and lead efforts to resolve analysis, all of which reduce overtime among
interoperability problems that affect personnel. The federal government should
emergency communications systems facilitate the availability of these
throughout the nation. These efforts must technologies to cities regardless of size.
continue to respect the premise of local
autonomy, avoid burdensome mandates, and 4. Training
reflect the need for greater funding in As local governments acquire new public
underserved jurisdictions. safety technologies, the federal government
should continue to promote interagency
3. Law Enforcement Technology sharing of equipment during emergencies
The ability to transmit and access among all levels of government and provide
information quickly and easily helps local, training to local public safety personnel. To
state and federal law enforcement agencies promote greater compatibility among
prevent and reduce crime. The federal training programs and curriculum, the federal
government should facilitate criminal records government should lead efforts to ensure that
information sharing among all levels of public safety training programs provide a
governmental law enforcement agencies. level of consistency among all agencies,
Such an information system would provide which are essential to implement mutual aid
law enforcement agencies a tool to track and and regional cooperation agreements.
apprehend transient, violent, repeat Federal assistance that enables local
offenders, and/or suspected terrorists and governments to improve public safety
share information with prosecutors, courts, services will always be a key component to
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
195reducing crime, planning for and predicting public health and safety in the event of an
disasters, and responding to emergencies. accident.
5. Information Sharing The federal government must also ensure that
Access to both specific and aggregate the transport of high-level radioactive waste
information on public safety threats — (HLW) be safely accomplished by employing
ranging from acts of terrorism, to health state of the art technology, engineering and
threats, to gang violence trends — gathered procedures.
by the federal government, should be shared
with local law enforcement and other 1. Consolidation of Federal Programs
necessary agencies in potential impact areas. NLC supports federal efforts to consolidate
hazardous materials policies and to designate
The federal government must continue to the U.S. Department of Transportation
improve standing task forces, centers, and (DOT) the lead federal department. NLC
institutions for sharing classified information believes that when more than one federal
on threats with first responders. Both federal agency regulates a hazardous material, the
financial and technical assistance, as well as appropriate agencies must take steps to
on-site assistance of federal personnel, correct conflicting or inconsistent policies.
should be provided to local government, to
assist in these information sharing 2. Standards
institutions and joint analysis efforts. National Hazardous Materials Driver
Standards
The federal government should assist local NLC supports federal hazardous materials
law enforcement with acquiring the proper driver training standards that are tailored to
equipment, technology, and training to the transportation of specific materials. As a
participate in information sharing activities, prerequisite to receiving a license, drivers of
such as establishing fusion centers. The such vehicles must be required to certify that
federal government should continue to refine they have received special training.
policies and practices surrounding these
institutions to ensure all activities respect 3. Insurance
civil liberties and privacy concerns. NLC supports existing federal regulations
that require motor carriers to maintain
D. Transportation of Hazardous Materials sufficient liability coverage. NLC also
The transportation of hazardous materials, supports continuation of federal law that
including nuclear waste, must be made as provides supplemental liability coverage in
safe as possible. Minimizing the danger of the event of a catastrophic accident involving
injury, environmental damage and other costs radioactive materials.
of such events requires knowledge of the
materials so that appropriate measures can be 4. Notification and Communication
taken and decisions made regarding NLC encourages federal guidelines to clarify
evacuation or traffic diversion. NLC urges the level and frequency of notification and
the federal government to provide adequate communications between state and local
funds, training and equipment to all cities officials necessary to protect public safety.
affected by the transportation and disposal of Currently available technologies and systems
hazardous waste to assure the protection of must be used to ensure immediate
communication between transporters and all
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
196entities charged with responding to any transportation regulations. The federal
incidences. Any carrier must be required to government must be more vigilant in its
make an immediate notification to designated enforcement of its regulations regarding
local emergency personnel when a hazardous unregistered carriers and shippers.
materials incident occurs.
States and localities should be allowed to
Federal, state, regional and local adopt and enforce vehicle operating
governments should cooperate in the requirements and standards, including the
development of a unified data and imposition of fines or civil penalties for
notification system. infractions of these federal requirements.
5. Disaster Prevention and Training The Federal Railroad Safety Act should be
First responders regularly respond to amended so that the federal and state
incidents involving the release or threat of governments have concurrent authority to
release of hazardous materials in transport, enforce federal rail safety regulations that
therefore emergency response should relate to hazardous materials.
continue to be the primary responsibility of
state and local governments. The federal Finally, the Federal/State Rail Safety
government must ensure that first responders Participation program should be continued
have the resources and capacity to address and adequately funded.
and respond to any hazardous materials
incidents. 7. Financing
NLC urges Congress to appropriate sufficient
In order to respond quickly and efficiently to federal funding to operate hazardous
any hazardous materials incidents federal, materials programs. NLC supports raising
state and local governments should develop a registration fees to pay for such programs
centralized emergency response command while opposing federal preemption of local
structure within each of their jurisdictions to fees on carriers.
improve inter-jurisdictional communications
when an accident does occur. There must be Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program
terrorism response plans for shipments of (MCSAP) grants from the Highway Trust
hazardous materials. Funds should be increased and made
available to local governments.
The federal government should set minimum
training and education standards, require all E. Mental Health and Public Safety
stakeholders to participate, and offer Major criminal incidents and emergencies
technical and financial assistance to support have a significant impact on the psyche of
these efforts. The federal government should citizens and first responders alike.
evaluate and certify training programs used Immediate support after traumatic incidents
by regional, state and local emergency can ensure that witnesses provide first
personnel. responders with more lucid descriptions of
the event and prevent significant long-term
6. Enforcement mental health concerns. First responders to
NLC believes that the federal government traumatic events also require psychological
should continue to be responsible for the support. In both cases, psychological
enforcement of hazardous materials conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder, or
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
197substance abuse may develop or worsen if not Federal and state technical and financial
addressed. assistance should be structured to allow local
officials maximum flexibility in meeting
Psychological first aid, crisis counseling, and identified needs. Regarding the homeland
response worker support are all key to security funding formula, NLC supports the
mitigating these issues. The federal federal government continuing to fund risk-
government should assist with resources and based threats in highly populated and high-
the coordination of non-profit entities and threat areas. NLC also supports a minimum
state and local governments to ensure a level of funding for state grants sufficient to
continuum of care is available to victims of allow jurisdictions to prepare for possible
crimes and disasters—particularly after terrorist-based threats, with flexibility to use
major emergencies and incidents. These the funds for dual-use (risk and all-hazards)
efforts must include awareness and education pursuant to their state homeland security
of access to behavioral health treatment to plans.
prevent negative effects following a
devastating event. The potential for hazardous or radioactive
material spills, pipeline accidents, large scale
6.03 Homeland Security, Disaster social disorders, and domestic terrorism
compels all levels of government to
Preparedness and Response
coordinate efforts to protect communities.
Such coordination must result in a
A. Problem Statement
comprehensive national homeland security
The lives lost, property damaged, and
and disaster preparedness strategy. The
economic hardships suffered due to criminal
Department of Homeland Security must
and terrorist acts and natural, manufactured
continue to have a central office for
and technological disasters pose severe
coordinating local and state domestic
problems for individual residents,
preparedness activities. Regional plans and
communities, businesses and all levels of
cooperation must be fostered through this
government. Local governments are the first
central office.
level of government to respond to most
disasters and emergencies and must be
B. Goals
regarded as the focal point of all disaster
In order to maintain viable communities and
mitigation and recovery activities. The
an economically sound nation, all levels of
federal government should provide funding
government must work together to reduce the
directly to local governments for homeland
likelihood of disaster losses incurred.
security, emergency preparedness and
Specifically, the federal government should:
response.
• Continuously strive to improve the
coordination of local, state, and federal
An effective system must be developed to
disaster preparedness plans, including
ensure that federal and state emergency
Emergency Management Assistance
management officials conduct substantive
Compact (EMAC) operations;
consultations with local officials for key
decision-making affecting homeland • Assure continued availability of adequate
security, disaster preparedness and response property and casualty insurance and
at the local level. excess insurance coverage to all regions
of the nation, at affordable rates without
2018 Public Safety and Crime Prevention
198You can also read
