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News Release
June 28, 2011
For Immediate Release
Contact: (415) 703-5837
California Law Enforcement Leaders Decry Public Safety Cuts
in Proposed Budget; Will Cripple Anti-Gang and Anti-Drug Efforts
SACRAMENTO --- Law enforcement leaders from across the state of
California today criticized the deep cuts to the Department of Justice's law
enforcement budget that specifically targeted anti-gang and anti-drug
programs.
The general fund reduction proposals would reduce by $71 million the budget
of the Division of Law Enforcement. This could lead to the loss of several
hundred special agents and other personnel, the dissolution of 55 statewide
task forces - many of which coordinate responses to transnational gang and
drug crime - and the loss of investigators on the state's new Mortgage Fraud
Strike Force. As a result, two entire law enforcement bureaus could be shut
down, the Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence (BII) and the Bureau of
Narcotic Enforcement (BNE).
California Narcotic Officers' Association President James C. Hodges:
"Yesterday's budget agreement contained a bad surprise - the budget
decimated the General Fund resources available to Attorney General Kamala
Harris' office for law enforcement purposes. The impact of these cuts will
be the shutting down of all BNE task forces, as well as their offices. Each
of you may recall that these same cuts were proposed in 2009 during the
Schwarzenegger administration. Fortunately, the Legislature wisely rejected
those proposed cuts. The reasons for rejecting those cuts in 2009 are as
valid today as they were in 2009. In fact, they have become accentuated over
the past two years. It is fact that the Mexican drug cartels have
dramatically increased their profile in California. Additionally, the
significant challenges local law enforcement will face in 2011 with public
safety realignment is further reason to restore the BNE task forces. The
fact is that the loss of BNE task forces will force local law enforcement -
who will tell you frankly that they lack the expertise to deal with these
sophisticated, multi-national criminal enterprises - to put scarce resources
to fill the void left by the loss of BNE task forces. This is a diversion of
local law enforcement resources that will unacceptably undermine their
efforts to make public safety realignment work."
Irvine Police Chief and California Police Chiefs Association President Dave
Maggard:
"There were strong imperatives that existed in 2009 and still exist
today for the restoration of the BNE (Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement) and
still exist today for restoration of the BNE task forces: the Mexican drug
cartels are steadily moving their operations into the California; drug
cartel violence is already spilling over into the United States; the Sinaloa
Cartel is becoming firmly entrenched in California; FBI sources with whom we
have spoken believe that a majority of the 200 reported abductions in
California are attributable to Mexican drug cartels enforcing their business
arrangements; and prosecutors are noting a disturbing diversification of the
cartels where they are also engaged in human sex trafficking, as well as
their more "traditional" methamphetamine trafficking.Local law
enforcement relies on the ability of the BNE task force to combat the
increasingly sophisticated crime families involved in drug trafficking and
in human trafficking."
California District Attorneys Association President Gregory D. Totten:
"If this cut is allowed to stand, numerous entities within DOJ will be
devastated. Though funded by the Restitution Fund, the Witness Relocation
and Protection Program is staffed by DOJ personnel. A reduction in services
within this program jeopardizes the ability of law enforcement to protect
and relocate vital witnesses. Of additional concern is the potential
negative impact on forensic services provided by DOJ. State forensic labs
assist counties across the state with blood-alcohol and drug testing that is
crucial to all types of prosecutions. This cut portends access to justice
issues inasmuch as the availability of these services will become less
uniform, specifically in counties that do not have local labs."
Imperial County District Attorney Gilbert G. Otero:
"As a district attorney in a county bordering Mexico, I would like to
take this opportunity to urge you to oppose the Governor's proposal to cut
$71 million from the Department of Justice, Division of Law Enforcement's
budget. Such a move would have a major negative impact on public safety in
my county, in the state and across the entire nation."
San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis:
"The purpose of this letter is to share my concern with the proposed
cuts to the California Department of Justice, Division of Law Enforcement (DLE).
As the elected District Attorney of San Diego County, my office investigates
and prosecutes crime along California's border on a daily basis. It is
through collaboration with the Division of Law Enforcement that we are able
to see results from our efforts to stem the tide of violent crime crossing
into California.The work of the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement and the
Bureau of Intelligence and Investigations is a key piece to a statewide
strategy to prevent gang crime.I understand the challenges in balancing the
state's budget, but urge you to keep in mind that most local law enforcement
agencies are taking severe staffing reductions, especially the smaller
agencies, and we will need the assistance of DLE more than ever."
East Palo Alto Police Chief Ronald L. Davis:
"The purpose of this letter is to share my concern with the proposed
cuts to the California Department of Justice, Division of Law Enforcement (DLE).
On June 5, 2011, two young men fired over a dozen bullets into a vehicle
containing an innocent family of four leaving a baby shower in East Palo
Alto. The heinous nature of this shooting shocked the entire Bay Area and
underscores the real and serious danger gangs pose to our communities. Our
response to this tragedy must extend beyond the arrest of the two killers:
it must include holding the Nortenos and Surenos accountable as well. In
order to do this, I need the assistance of DLE; otherwise, we are battling
these gangs with 39 officers."
In a statement released last night, California Attorney General Kamala D.
Harris said:
"The proposed $71 million cut will cripple California's statewide
anti-gang and drug trafficking operations. Our Division of Law Enforcement
leads 50 task forces across the state that target criminal gangs and drug
trafficking organizations. Earlier this month, one of these task forces took
down 101 leaders and members of two transnational gangs terrorizing
California's Central Valley. Last month, we announced the seizure of over
100 lbs of methamphetamine and the arrests of more than 30 gang members in
the Bay Area. These cuts will eliminate many, if not all, of these task
forces and jeopardize many ongoing investigations."
Source of above: http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/print_release.php?id=2525 |