The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 23, Number 9 | Page 16

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | November 2017
Continued from previous page
change that.
But I want to be clear about something. Our goal is not to fill up the courts or the prisons. Our goal is to reduce
crime, just as President Trump directed us to do. Our goal is to make every community safer—especially the most
vulnerable.
That’s why I am also announcing today that several state and local law enforcement agencies will also receive $3
million through the Community Policing Development program.
These awards will help equip our state and local partners with better training, tools, and tactics to fight crime and
serve their communities. We know good professional policing works.
And that’s what this is about: serving our communities. That’s why we’re here. Everyone in this room—even though
we are from all over the globe—is united in one mission. Whether you’re from Indiana or India—or rural Alabama—
we all share the same goal: protecting our families, our cities, and our countries from violence and crime. And while
no two countries or even cities face the same situation, we face many of the same threats and can benefit from
many of the same tactics and policies. We truly believe our PSN program just announced will compliment your
community police based tactics.
To sum up, let me share a few thoughts. During my almost 40 years in this work, I have come to understand that
we must see our criminal justice system as a whole.
From our police officers to our state law enforcement and forensic departments, to our local and state prosecutors,
our judges and juries, to our prison system and to our probation and parole officers, we are one system. Yet, we
have different roles, different laws, different lines of authority and different funding sources.
Over the last several decades we have definitely reached higher levels of partnership and collaboration. One of my
highest goals is to continue, even accelerate that cooperation.
We at the Department of Justice, with our federal partners at the Department of Homeland Security and other
federal agencies—FBI, DEA, ATF, US Marshals—fabulously trained agents all—know that there is more we can do
together. An arrest of a single drug courier in Columbus, Ohio can lead to a national and international cartel take
down. A defendant with prescription drugs in New Hampshire can lead to a corrupt doctor or pharmacist in Miami.
With the click of a mouse, a teenager can order fentanyl in China, causing the death of a 13 year old in Utah.
In many ways our work, supports and facilitates the extension of your cases.
I want to thank you all for working together in IACP and for making a commitment to this difficult but noble work.
And I look forward to being your partner to make our countries—and our world—safer places.
Thank you, and God bless you.
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