Bill Clinton: “Let me try to explain a little behind what the chief's question is. What she is saying is that community policing works…”

“Let me try to explain a little behind what the chief's question is. What she is saying is that community policing works if it's properly implemented. That means it's not just enough to let a city hire more police officers. The police officers have to be properly trained, properly deployed, and connected to the community so that they not only catch criminals, they actually work with people to prevent crime from occurring in the first place. We know this can happen in Texas--she's in Austin--and in the city of Houston, where they went to a more aggressive community policing situation, in 15 months the crime rate dropped 22 percent. And the mayor got reelected with 91 percent of the vote, and the two things were connected, believe me. You can do something to bring the crime rate down. The answer to your question is--at least if I prevail, the bill has not come out in its final form yet--we will give some of this money out based on the size of the problem in cities. But some of the money will have to go to--the money will be tied to a commitment to genuine community policing strategies that work. In other words, if you give more money to a city and they hire all the police to sit behind desks, the crime rate will not go down. That's basically what she's saying. You've got to know that this money is going to be properly spent. To the extent that we can do it, we are going to have standards to make sure that the money will go-- we want to give it to all major cities that need it, but we want them to agree to implement strategies that work in order to get the money. And I thank you for what you're doing. Health Care Reform [Mr. Donovan called on Callie King of WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA. She introduced a health insurance agent from Rural Retreat, VA, who asked how health care reform would affect his business serving primarily self- employed and small business owners.]”