Police union claims setting up a panel to examine racial profiling and cop killings would rob police of money
House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Republican Policy Chairman Luke Messer are working with Rep. Dave Reichert — a former cop to set up a panel of lawmakers to examine the racial tensions between cops and black communities, and steps that can be taken fix the nationwide problem.
Missouri and 19 other states proposed nearly 50 bills regarding racial bias training for officers, according to National Conference of State Legislatures. None passed except the one in Colorado!
“This has got to be a priority; otherwise this country is going to collapse into some serious chaos in our cities — not just between police and community, but divided by race, divided by economic status,” Reichert told POLITICO in a lengthy interview this week. “Let’s not burn down the city but work together to go through the process to find the truth, to hold people accountable, and improve the training and our hiring process and go about this in the correct way Recihart said.”
The six-term congressman’s push for more oversight of policing gives cover to conservatives who worrying about meddling in a topic they typically leave to local governments — but also to Republicans who fear alienating cops.
Isn't that wonderful finally a congressman willing to stand up to police unions, right?
But Reichart is a study in contradiction, on the one hand he wants to change police racial profiling and police killings but on the other hand he wants police to be militarized!
Reichart opposed to the so-called police demilitarization plan. Which would bar cops from acquiring grenade launchers and armored vehicles.
Not surprisingly America's largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) claims setting up a 'panel' would be like “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
The FOP claims appropriators have eliminated more than $120 million that they typically give to police departments for hiring and retention practices under the so-called Community Oriented Police Service or “COPs” program.
The union argued that sacrificing one pot of money for the other is unhelpful.
“Our clever brothers and sisters on Appropriations have offered the equipment and taken away the people,” said James Pasco, executive director in the union’s Washington D.C. office, in an interview.
“The $120 million [for hiring] has gone up in smoke, so the thing you need to staff task forces and wear cameras and do community-oriented policing, is gone: officers… They robbed Peter to pay Paul.”
Sounds like a valid argument right? But it's all lies!
According to the Dept. of Justice's fiscal year 2015 budget request, COPS got $247 million for it's hiring program, which is an increase of $60 million from last year! It also includes a rescission of prior year balances of $26.0 million in other words an extra $26 million for breaking the 2014 contract. What's $60 million plus $26 million anyone? It's $86 million, that's pretty close to the alleged $120 million COPS claims to be losing right?
But It gets better, see below:
COPS is so efficient at getting DHS/DOJ grants they developed their own 'NEXGen COPS Management System' which they use to reduce paper flow for grants.
For more info. about the COPS 2016 budget, click here.
Police departments will be getting a $130 MILLION dollar increase from last year!
The appropriations bill, as written, included $238 million for police departments, a $30 million increase over last year’s level — although Republicans eliminated the retention program. The Administration had asked for about $66 million more.
Reichert, one of only two former cops on the Hill, will offer an amendment to add back $100 million for hiring practices. So it's not really gone COPS is it?
So after all is said and done COPS stands to make $186 million and hasn't lost $120 million like they claimed. Why aren't reporters doing any research and simple math?
And we're not even counting the HUNDREDS of millions in DHS & Justice Department grants being given to police departments every year.
Reichart revealed his true colors below by mirroring every fear mongering politician's claims that America is in a crisis and will collapse because of police protests. Not one of these self-serving politicians has stood up and said we're responsible for creating the current police state and we'll do everything to fix it.
“We are really in a crisis,” Reichart said. “If we let this [police protest] movement continue, then we are in serious danger of letting our society collapse — and that’s why I feel this urgency to get a handle on it right now.”