What Will Be Cut?

The AP Story on Bush's new proposed budget says:

"According to figures obtained by the AP, Bush would slice a $600 million grant program for local police agencies to $60 million next year.
Also gone would be assistance for police departments to improve technology and their ability to communicate with other agencies".

These are the Grants which effectively federalize our local police into para-military task forces specializing in conducting violent home invasions against our citizens.

The Edward Byrne grants program and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) pay for anti-drug officers and prosecutors. The Byrne grant has been apportioned at the federal level by population, and the LLEBG on percentage of violent crimes.

In 2004, the Byrne and LLEBG grants were combined by Congress to form the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. JAG was funded at $536 million in 2005, down from $632 million for the two programs combined the previous year.

Here is a description of the merger of the Byrne and LLEGB grants: Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

I'm sure the National Narcotics Officers Associations' Coalition will fight this budget cut tooth and nail as they have fought similar proposals in the past. They are terrified at the prospect of actually having to serve and protect the people instead of making war on us.

Here's how they acted last time this came up. (PDF)

Here's a picture of the bastards drunk in public during their January 28, 2000 convention in Montgomery, AL. They thought it was cute that one of the narcs was so drunk he locked his keys in his car.

The narcotics officers will lobby Congress to keep their funding. We must lobby in opposition and present a clear alternative.

Also, it is illegal to get grant money and then use that money to lobby congress for additional funding.

One hypothetical cash flow scenario by which this restriction might be circumvented:

taxpayer - federal government - department of justice - bureau of justice assistance - jag grant - state administering agency - multijurisdictional task force - tuition for narcotics officer training at "private" facility - which is actually operated by a state narcotics officers' association - lobby congress - further grants - taxpayer jailed

The California Narcotic Officers' Association
The California Narcotic Officers' Association is one of the largest providers of law enforcement training in the state, delivering over 100,000 hours of instruction to more than 6000 students annually.