More police needed on our streets
To Gov. Ed Rendell: There should be no greater priority than protecting the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth Officers Act (HB1189), which is currently bottled up in the House Appropriations Committee, will allow towns and cities throughout Pennsylvania to hire 10,000 new police officers over the next four years.
Crime is on the rise in many of our communities and most experts agree that hiring more police has a direct impact on reducing crime. New York City is experiencing its lowest crime rate in forty-four years after hiring 1,800 new police officers.
In Philadelphia, there has been a direct correlation between an increase in violent crime and a reduction in the number of police on the street.
The Commonwealth Officers Act is a critical piece of legislation that was released from the House Judiciary Committee with unanimous support from both Democrats and Republicans.
That is why I am at a loss to understand why the Democrat Appropriations Chairman refuses to release this crime-fighting legislation out of his committee, and allow the full House to debate its merits and vote on it.
This is a landmark measure that will create a dedicated annual funding source for local municipalities to use to fight crime. Depending on the level of participation, the maximum yearly cost would total $56 million, which includes money for personnel as well as training and equipment – and come from funds earmarked for Legislative expenses.
In the past, we found money to fund football and baseball stadiums in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; a hockey arena in Pittsburgh; expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and even a $75 million tax credit for movie companies. Now I understand you have committed $50 million for a soccer stadium in Chester.
While I joined you in supporting many of these projects, I think the $50 million earmark for a soccer stadium in Chester, could be better spent helping local municipalities throughout Pennsylvania hire more police to fight crime and protect their citizens.
Critics of my legislation argue that it “unfairly helps rural towns,” and does not provide “enough help for Philadelphia.”
As the former District Attorney in Philadelphia, I know you share my concern with the escalating murder rate in our hometown – but murders, illicit drugs and illegal gun crimes are not limited to Philadelphia. There are a number of smaller cities and rural towns which proportionally – need as much help as Philadelphia.
While Philadelphia will get adequate coverage with 1,349 new officers, my plan is based on a fairer formula that distributes funds according to per capita crime rates – which balances state assistance so that smaller cities and rural towns get sufficient help to hire the number of new police officers they need to fight crime in their communities.
Public safety and providing local communities with sufficient police to fight crime should not be a partisan issue. As governor, I would challenge you to set aside partisan differences and join our bipartisan fight to make our communities throughout Pennsylvania safer.
I would publicly ask you to intervene and support the release of the Commonwealth Officers Act (HB1189) from the House Appropriations Committee so that members of both political parties can have the opportunity to debate and vote on this critically important piece of legislation.
State Rep. John Perzel is a Republican from Philadelphia, and former Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.