Thomas Daschle: “In the weeks since September 11, we've heard a lot about homeland security. Right now, we're working to make our…”

“In the weeks since September 11, we've heard a lot about homeland security. Right now, we're working to make our Nation's infrastructure more secure, our food and water supply safer, and to improve our government's ability to respond to chemical and biological weapons attacks. To me, homeland security also means giving all of our Nation's law enforcement officers the tools and training they need to do their jobs. And that means recognizing that law enforcement in rural America has its own unique set of challenges: rural law enforcement officers patrol larger areas, and operate under tighter budgets with smaller staffs, than most of their urban and suburban counterparts. In States like South Dakota, often, just a handful of people are responsible for patrolling an entire county. Law enforcement officers respond to a lot of calls alone, and often have to communicate with each other by cell phone. Backup can be several hours away. Yet we expect the same quality of service, and we demand lower crime rates. I believe Washington can and must do a better job of helping rural law enforcement do their work. That is why I am proud to join my colleague and friend, Senator Tim Johnson, in introducing the Rural Safety Act of 2001.”