Remarks from Mayor Ireton's Press Conference

CITY OF SALISBURY
PRESS CONFERENCE
MAYOR JIM IRETON’S REMARKS
JULY 29, 2009

I am honored today to join with our local and federal partners to announce funding to help us reduce crime here in Salisbury. Salisbury, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the Federal Stimulus program, has been awarded $795,000 dollars for the hiring of 4 Salisbury Police officers. Many thanks to the officers here in our police department that applied for this money, and to my partners in fighting crime – the Salisbury City Council who endorsed the application – for without their leadership, today would not have become a reality.

The COPS program, Community Oriented Policing Services, since 1995 has invested $12.4 billion to help law enforcement advance the practice of community policing and has enabled more than 13,000 state and local agencies to hire more than 117,000 police officers and deputies across the nation. As the Department of Justice has said, because community policing is inclusive, COPS Office training also benefits state and local government leaders and the citizens that they serve. Now, those benefits have reached Salisbury. As the Department of Justice asserts, moving from a reactive to a proactive role, community policing represents a shift from more traditional law enforcement practices. By addressing the root causes of criminal and disorderly behavior, rather than simply responding to crimes once they have been committed, community policing concentrates on preventing both crime and the atmosphere of fear that it creates.

We have much to thank our partners in government for. Last week we announced $147,000 for our CSAFE initiatives in both our Church Street and Westside neighborhoods through Governor O’Malley’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. We thank Governor O’Malley and our federal partners, whose representatives have joined us today.

My friend and congressman, Frank Kratovil, had this to say, “This is an example of federal stimulus money flowing directly into our cities and towns to create jobs and essential services. When our streets are safer we all benefit, from local businesses to school children.”
Governor Martin O’Malley, whose office called this week to let me know of the award, said, “There is no greater or more solemn obligation that we have as public servants than the protection of our citizens.” Governor O’Malley, Congressman Kratovil, and Senator Mikulski recognized our need here in Salisbury as the $795,000 grant was the third largest in the State of Maryland, and 60% of the allocation for the entire Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Senator Mikulski said it best, “This means saving jobs and saving lives.”

This $795,000 puts Salisbury’s total of federal stimulus grant and loan money at $5 million to date. I applaud the work of staff at City Hall for making certain that we are documenting every penny spent, so the public knows that we take the responsibility of investing President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money seriously.

On a personal note, any assistance from any agency is greatly appreciated. I made a promise this past spring to begin to make Salisbury the safest city in Maryland. I promise to work with Council President Louise Smith and the rest of the City Council to put together budgets that prepare for the time when these officers become our own.

Today is a great day for law enforcement in our city, so congratulations go out to our police chief and our officers in the Salisbury Police Department. Let this day be another reminder to our citizens that we are committed…from our leaders on Capitol Hill, to Annapolis, to here at City Hall, including our City Council and your Mayor, to reducing our crime rates and making this city a much safer place to live.