ATTENTION FOP urges Congress to restore Byrne JAG funding 
 
Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, called on Congress to restore funding to the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assitance Grant (Byrne JAG) program which is a key component of the nation's fight against violent crime. The FOP was very pleased to learn that full restoration of this crucial funding is included in the Senate version of the FY08 emergency supplemental bills this week.

“The FOP understands the purpose of this bill is to fund the continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of our troops overseas,” Canterbury said. “We strongly support those efforts, but also believe that ‘hometown’ security is part of our nation's overall anti terrorism strategy.”

The Byrne JAG program, within the Department of Justice, was cut by more than two thirds in the FY08 omnibus appropriations bill to $170 million in FY08 from $520 million in FY07. In an amazing display of bipartisanship, a total of 218 Representatives and 56 Senators signed letters asking that at least $430 million for the Byrne JAG program be included in the upcoming emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

“State and local law enforcement agencies rely on Byrne JAG to fund multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces, police training, technology improvements, as well as a host of crime prevention and crime victims' assistance programs,” Canterbury said. “I strongly urge Congress to keep Byrne JAG program funding in this emergency supplemental bill.”

The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement labor organization in the United States, with more than 325,000 members.