Governor O'Malley Addresses Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Awards Luncheon
Announces $1 Million of ARRA funds to Support New Local Police Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies Across the State
ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 20, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley today attended the 35th annual Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Awards Luncheon and announced $1 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to help local jurisdictions equip new police officers with the resources they need to keep our neighborhoods safe. The luncheon was attended by approximately 1200 guests, comprised of fire and police first responders, business leaders, community members, and elected officials, including Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Chris Van Hollen and Congresswoman Donna Edwards.
“I want to congratulate all of the winners of public safety awards here today, and want to thank you for what you do day in and day out to make our streets and neighborhoods safer for our families,” said Governor O’Malley. “Public safety is not only our most sacred responsibility, but our top priority. That is why today, thanks to the leadership of President Obama and our federal delegation, I would like to announce that $1 million in Recovery funds will be used to support new local police officers across our State.”
“I want to thank all of the police officers, firefighters, correctional officers and public safety officials for their tremendous commitment to the residents of Montgomery County,” said U.S. Senator Cardin. “First responders have always been on the front lines, keeping our families and our neighborhoods safe from harm. They are the true heroes in our communities, risking their lives every day.”
“I’m honored to be here today to recognize the work of these first responders. Their work to keep our families and our communities safe deserves the highest praise and support,” said Congressman Chris Van Hollen. “Making sure that these brave men and women have the resources they need is critical, and that is why I’m thrilled that Maryland has moved quickly to access the funds made available through the Recovery Act. The $1 million federal investment to equip our officers with the resources they need will help our economy and ensure our safety.”
“At a time when budgets are tight, we need to be sure that our public safety agencies have the resources they need to protect lives and property,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “I want to thank the Governor for his leadership and our Senators and Representatives for their help in partnering with Montgomery County to help meet these needs.”
Under the program announced today, the State of Maryland will become the first State in the country to use ARRA funding to match up to $10,000 to support that new officer for every U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Servicing (COPS) grants to local jurisdictions. This funding will help equip new law enforcement officers hired by local agencies with COPS funding. While the COPS funding will pay the salaries and benefits of new officers, Governor O’Malley’s program will provide up to $10,000 to provide these officers with education and training, and equipment such as radios, bullet proof vests, and laptops for cruisers so that the new officers are equipped with resources to keep them and our streets safe.
The COPS grant application period is only open through April 14, 2009, so local agencies must act fast to be a part of this historic federal and state partnership. To find more information on how to apply, local law enforcement agencies should go to www.cops.usdoj.gov. The Governor’s program will be administered by the Office of Crime Control and Prevention and local jurisdictions who have received COPS funding and who want to apply for the Maryland grant should go to www.goccp.org.
“Maryland’s law enforcement agencies work around the clock to keep our communities safe. I know how important this funding is. It means more resources for cops on the beat to fight gangs and drugs and keep Maryland’s streets safe,” said U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee that funds local law enforcement through the Department of Justice. “That’s why I was proud to fight for more funding for our state and local law enforcement in the economic recovery bill. As the Chairwoman of the CJS Subcommittee, I will keep fighting to make sure law enforcement have the tools they need to clean up the streets, protect our families, and fight the crime that is destroying neighborhoods.”
During his remarks, the Governor highlighted efforts to improve public safety in the State of Maryland, including Maryland’s state-of-the-art Automated Fingerprint Identification System (MAFIS) that allows law enforcement to match fingerprints at speeds never before available so that they can move quickly to solve crimes and prevent future violence. This new technology, also known as Fast ID, for the first time, gives officers the ability to take this information on the road by using a portable wireless device to capture fingerprints. The Maryland Automated Fingerprint Identification System is used for criminal processing, criminal investigation, civil background checks, juvenile processing and sex offender processing.
The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Awards luncheon is an annual event where public safety organizations in the county, including the Department of Police, Fire and Rescue Service, the Maryland National Capital Park Police, the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, are recognized for their distinct acts of valor. This year, there are 29 awardees associated with 10 incidents and 2 recipients of community service awards. Emergency personnel that were involved in the River Road water main break emergency rescue efforts were recognized today at the awards ceremony.
