FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Chambliss, Isakson Co-Sponsor Amendment to Bolster Rural Law Enforcement Capabilities
New Training Program for Rural Law Enforcement to be Administered by FLETC 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today introduced an amendment to the Port Security Bill, H.R. 4954, that authorizes the creation of a Rural Policing Institute to be administered by the Office of State and Local Training of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Ga. The amendment passed by unanimous consent. 

Rural communities often have fewer resources and fewer staff on payroll, making it more difficult to allow personnel to be called away for an extended periods.  The Rural Policing Institute is unique in that experts will be deployed directly to rural communities and provide at-home training on a local level for individuals who may not otherwise have access to specialized training opportunities.

“There is no question – and I hear this whenever I travel around the state – that our local law enforcement in rural areas are called upon day in and day out to provide the nuts and bolts of peacekeeping, criminal investigations and law enforcement,” said Chambliss.  “In many areas, increased crime and the scourge of methamphetamine drug trafficking have placed severe pressures on local law enforcement capabilities and, as we continue to call upon our rural law enforcement folks to do more, we must provide them with access to specialized training.”

“By having a program where we can send instructors to these rural police departments, we maximize our training capabilities and ensure that these officers are able to receive on the job training without reducing manpower,” Isakson said. “This program is a win-win for our law enforcement personnel, FLETC and the American taxpayer.” 

The amendment authorizes $10 million for fiscal year 2007 and $5 million for each additional year through 2011, and this funding must be appropriated through homeland security appropriations.

No training provided through the proposed Rural Policing Institute will duplicate or displace current or on-going FLETC programs or activities.