October 02, 2024

Rep. Gallego, Mayor Weiers, APA President Justin Harris Highlight Work to Support Local Law Enforcement, Protect Public Safety

GLENDALE – Gathering at the Glendale Police Department, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03), Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers, and Glendale Police Officer and Arizona Police Association President (APA) Justin Harris held a press conference highlighting Rep. Gallego’s work to support local law enforcement and protect public safety.

“Ensuring Arizonans' safety is my top priority,” said Rep. Gallego. “That’s why, since taking office, I’ve voted for billions of dollars in funding for local law enforcement and have fought to bring $61 million of that back home to Arizona. I’m proud of the work I’ve done to protect public safety in Arizona, and I’ll continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do more.”

“I would like to thank the Congressman and our delegation for continuing to support public safety,” said Mayor Weiers. “In 2022, Congressman Gallego and our representatives in Washington D.C. funded public safety upgrades for our police department, including funding a new mobile command center and also funding to rebuild our 9-1-1 communications center that receives nearly 400,000 calls each year. I urge our delegation to remain focused on ensuring federal policies do not stop our officers from protecting the public.”

“The Arizona Police Association values Rep. Gallego’s commitment to supporting the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our community,” said APA President Harris. “His dedication and commitment to ensure that police officers have the necessary funding and resources to enforce the laws, to maintain order and to support our communities is something we greatly appreciate and respect.”

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A recording of the press conference can be viewed HERE. Pictures of the event can be accessed HERE.

Background on Rep. Gallego’s work to support local law enforcement

During his time in Congress, Rep. Gallego has voted for over $168 billion in law enforcement funding and fought to bring home $45.9 million in Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program and $49.7 million in Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) funding to Arizona.

Earlier this year, Rep. Gallego introduced his First Responders Emergency Assistance Act which would create a new emergency grant program for law enforcement and first responders in communities experiencing increased migrant arrivals. He also backs multiple bipartisan bills to strengthen the COPS program and support local law enforcement, including:

  • the Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act to provide an emergency boost to the COPS Hiring Program, doubling the amount of federal grant funding available for local departments this fiscal year.

  • the Recruit and Retain Act to increase the recruitment of new and qualified officers by reducing application and recruiting costs associated with finding new talent.

  • the Strong Communities Act to build stronger relationships between police and the communities they serve by incentivizing law enforcement officers to work in the communities where they live.

  • the Enhancing COPS Hiring Program Grants for Local Law Enforcement Act to expand the COPS Hiring Program to allow local law enforcement agencies to utilize program grants for recruitment and retention bonuses and to allow grant applications to be valid for five years, instead of the current one year.

  • the Supporting the Health and Safety of Law Enforcement Act to create a new grant program to increase coordination between community mental health centers and law enforcement officers on mental health issues, including homelessness and public safety.

  • the Invest to Protect Act to help small and mid-sized police departments, including Tribal police departments, recruit and provide safety training, de-escalation training, and mental health support for their officers.

  • the Establishing Accreditation Grants for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Act to authorize $10 million in funding for small and mid-sized police departments to earn or renew accreditation from state, regional, tribal or national police accreditation organizations.

In 2023, he introduced the Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens Tribal law enforcement and increases public safety in Indian Country.