Sanford Bishop: “when Sheriff Carlton Powell of Thomas County in rural south Georgia called our Washington office yesterday to inquire…”

“when Sheriff Carlton Powell of Thomas County in rural south Georgia called our Washington office yesterday to inquire about the cops fast program, he commended Congress for helping to fight the war against crime in a very effective way. He said there is nothing Congress can do that is more effective in the fight against crime than to increase the number of law officers available at the local level. Congress, he said, is finally helping to concentrate more of the country's limited anticrime resources where they are needed most, on the front lines. Sheriff Powell also expressed a concern. He is concerned that Congress is about to take a tremendous step backward. If Congress junks the program designed to expand police forces throughout our communities, then we are sending a blank check block grant program back which will, in his words, kick police off the porch. When are we going to learn? When are we going to have enough good sense to listen to community law officers, who have been leading the charge against crime every day? State, city, and county crime officers like Sheriff Powell have been telling us for years more police over on the street should be the top priority.”