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Blog Post

Our Law Enforcement Partners

Today, the Attorney General spoke at the Annual Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, an organization made up of over 20,000 police executives from international, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Paying tribute to the work of these brave men and women, the Attorney General said:
As Attorney General, I have traveled our country and watched many of you in action, and I have personally witnessed the dramatic results of your daunting tasks. I have seen your efforts manifested in children who are learning in safer schools; in teenagers who now have a park or a project or a basketball court to help them stay on course; in senior citizens who are unafraid to sit on their porch or to walk to the grocery store; and in neighborhoods that have been reclaimed from drugs, violence, and despair. All of these experiences have only confirmed what I have known to be true throughout my career as a prosecutor, as a judge, and as a Department of Justice official: you, our police chiefs and the officers who serve under your command, are guardians of the democracy we cherish. Your courage and unwavering dedication help ensure that Americans are free to safely enjoy the blessings of liberty that our Constitution promises to all. To be sure, your dedication has been sorely tested. Faced with a battered economy that has provided twin challenges – joblessness on the streets, and budget cuts in the precincts – the work of law enforcement officers has never been harder. And so, during this era of challenges, it is our profound duty to band together, to work together, to struggle together, and to support one another in every way possible. Accordingly, I have come to Denver today with one simple message from Washington: “We got your back.”
The Attorney General also highlighted several recent efforts to support law enforcement including:
  • $4 billion in the American Recovery Act to support criminal justice efforts, including $120 million to rural areas, funds for officer training and safety measures, homicide clearance, and the implementation of evidence-based approaches as well as money to support multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, technology programs, and basic bread-and-butter needs like police cruisers and office equipment
  • An April law enforcement summit held in Washington to identify key priorities and examine lessons learned from ongoing initiavtives
  • A conference with our partners in the Department of Homeland Security and elsewhere that focused on how we can better work together at the local level by supporting such efforts as fusion centers that help break down the barriers to information-sharing that have been allowed to hinder our efforts for far too long
  • The White House Conference on Gang Violence Prevention and Crime Control that brought together mayors, police chiefs, and other criminal justice leaders from around the country to share examples of ground-breaking innovations to address age-old problems like youth violence, guns, drugs, and gangs.
These are just some of the steps taken in recent months to support and enhance law enforcement efforts to keep Americans safe. Noting the recent multi-agency, coordinated investigation in New York and Colorado that disrupted an alleged terrorist plot to detonate explosives inside the United States, the Attorney General renewed his commitment to provide law enforcement officers with the tools and expertise necessary to keep America safe as they do their part in the fight against terrorism.
For in the end, the safety of our nation’s citizens lies in your hands -- and in the hands of your officers. You, the servants of the public good, are sometimes called the thin blue line. This label conveys a sense that only a fragile barrier separates chaos from order; violence from tranquility. And yet, I know that nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, you may be too few in number, but you make up for that deficiency in grit, resolve, and determination. The thin blue line that keeps our nation lawful, that keeps our nation hopeful, that keeps our nation peaceful, isn’t fragile -- it’s made from the finest, toughest material I know of – the men and women of local law enforcement. That knowledge makes me proud to serve with you as Attorney General, and I can assure you that it provides great inspiration and comfort to each and every American. And so, chiefs, thank you for everything you do. And most especially, thank you for answering the call of duty, and thank you for so courageously serving the public good.
You can read the full speech, here.
Updated April 7, 2017
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Office of the Attorney General

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