FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AG
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1995                           (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

TOP JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO BE IN MASSACHUSETTS ON FRIDAY
             FOR COMMUNITY POLICING EVENTS AND SPEECH
                                
     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Director of the Administrations's
Community-Oriented Policing (COPS) program, Joe Brann, will spend
Friday in the Boston area to learn from community policing
successes in Lawrence and see new federally-funded police officers
sworn-in in Worchester.  Solicitor General Drew Days will address
the New England School of Law in Boston Friday evening.

     [Attorney General Janet Reno will not be able to participate
in these activities, as originally planned.  Due to the tragic
death Tuesday of a U.S. Border Patrol agent -- the first to die in
the line of duty since 1989 -- she will attend a memorial service
Friday in San Diego.  The agent, Luis Santiago, 30, died in the
course of chasing suspected illegal border-crossers.]
     
     The 1994 crime bill provided $8.8 billion to hire 100,000 new
community police officers, and funding for more than 16,000 new
officers has already been announced -- including 587 officers for
communities across Massachusetts.  Twenty-six of those officers
will be sworn in Friday in Worchester. 

     The following is the schedule for Friday, March 31:

     Lawrence
     1:30 pm   Joe Brann does Community Policing walk 
               w/ Cong. Meehan, Police Chief Hayden, U.S. Attorney Stern
               Begins at Arlington Street School
               Give remarks at La Cibaenta La Bakery, 112 Cross St.
               
     Worchester
     4:30 pm   Joe Brann attends graduation of community police officers
               South High School, 90 Apricot Street
               
     Boston
     8:15 pm   Solicitor General Drew Days to address New England School
               of Law Barrister's Ball
               Boston Marriott Hotel, Copley Place
               
                                 # # #
95-176