WASHINGTON — February 10, 2017 — On Thursday, President Donald J. Trump signed a series of executive orders addressing law enforcement and public safety. The executive orders direct Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint individuals to a national Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety; to evaluate federal grant programs that support law enforcement officers; and to recommend changes based on that evaluation. In response to these directives, the National League of Cities (NLC) issued the following statement:
“The National League of Cities supports President Trump’s actions to evaluate and improve federal programs that support local public safety and crime prevention efforts. Crime rates in cities have steadily fallen over the past decade, and the longstanding federal-local partnership on community-oriented policing should be recognized as a primary reason for that improvement. It is also true that some cities are experiencing a recent increase in violent crime, and improved officer training and community policing strategies can be part of the solution.
“As the voice of America’s 19,000 cities, the National League of Cities strongly urges Attorney General Sessions to appoint local elected officials who represent both large and small cities to the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. City leaders provide an essential viewpoint to comprehensively evaluate public safety programs as one part of the solution for neighborhoods in distress.
“The National League of Cities looks forward to working with the White House and the Department of Justice to appoint local elected officials to serve on the task force. We are a partner and resource that can provide insight and data on programs that work in cities to reduce violent crime and improve public safety.”
More information on public safety in cities can be found here.
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About the National League of Cities
The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. www.nlc.org