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'599' Program
Different approaches taken by governor, General Assembly could jeopardize public safety
Facts:
Some 65 percent of all Virginians depend on local police departments for public safety services. The officers of every participating police department -- 39 cities, 9 counties, and 128 towns -- must meet the minimum training requirements set by the state Department of Criminal Justice Services.
- The Virginia Department of State Police recognizes the effective strength of a locality's police force as a key factor that influences or contributes to crime.
- Based on FY06 data, the '599' program makes up almost 20 percent of Virginia's cities' law enforcement budgets, 14 percent of eligible counties' law enforcement budgets, and 34 percent of the law enforcement budgets for eligible towns. Based on a VML survey of participating cities, counties and towns, more than 2,600 police officers are patrolling Virginia's streets because of the program.
- As a matter of law, '599' dollars must be used to fund local public safety services, and cannot be used to supplant the funding provided by local governments for these services.
Respective positions:
- Gov. Tim Kaine reduced the appropriation of the program by 5 percent in fiscal year 2008, and proposed extending the reduction in FY 2009 and FY 2010. His action in FY 2008 cut the program to $205 million.
- The Senate approved a budget amendment to fund the program in accordance with state statute, resulting in a $5 million increase for the biennium or $207.5 million each year.
- The House approved a series of budget amendments effectively reducing the program by $14.9 million for the 2008-2010 biennium:
House Amendment Package FY09 FY10
FY 2009 FY 2010 HB 30, as introduced $205,001,876 $205,001,876 Criminal justice training academies ($1,101,101) ($1,101,101) Internet crime task forces ($1,250,000) 0 School resource officers ($1,490,000) ($1,490,000) Line of duty benefits ($3,971,897) ($4,426,897) TOTAL $197,188,878 $197,983,878
Analysis:
- Impact of two budget amendment packages on eligible local governments.
- The House amendment on line-of-duty benefits is based on the fact that 65 percent of the benefits provided for the Line of Duty Act are for local government employees. The House failed to take into account that less than 30 percent of all line-of-duty recipients are police officers from eligible '599' localities. More than 40 percent of eligible line-of-duty recipients are local employees who are from localities not eligible for '599' funding or are firefighters and emergency medical technicians. In other words, the House amendment overestimated the fiscal impact of local police officers.
- Regional training academies conduct training for law enforcement and jailers as well as other criminal justice personnel. They are funded by groups of localities and by the state. Most of the larger cities and suburban counties, however, operate their own independent criminal justice training academies. The House amendment removes existing state general fund support for the academies and supplants the money with '599' funds. If adopted by the General Assembly, a number cities and counties (i.e., Henrico, Chesterfield, and Prince William) would lose funding and not receive any benefits. Moreover, the '599' money would be used to train personnel who are neither police officers nor employees of '599 eligible localities.
- Concerning the school resource officer incentive grants, the House amendment removes almost $1.5 million of general fund support for the program each year and supplants the lost funds with '599 dollars. As is the case with the other House amendments, localities eligible for these incentive grants include communities other than those receiving '599' money. Thus, '599' localities will be losing funds without receiving any benefit.
- Regarding the Internet crime task forces, the House amendment provides $750,000 to the Bedford County Sheriff's Office for the operation of the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and $500,000 to the Virginia State Police for the operation of the Northern Virginia-Washington, D.C., Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Bedford County is not eligible for '599' funding. Neither is Virginia State Police.
- Del. Phil Hamilton, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has publicly discussed his opposition to the '599' program. It is not unreasonable to assume that the House budget amendments represent the first steps in dismantling the program. Evidently, the consequences of losing more thanover 2,600 police officers do not seem important.
Next steps:
VML requests that you contact your delegates and senators, and urge them not to accept the House amendments. The budget conference has already started, and it is critical that the delegations be contacted before the conferees take action. Calls, faxes and e-mails should be sent immediately.
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