WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) has issued the following statement regarding legislation being considered by Congress the week of Oct. 8:

IACLEA Legislative Alert: Important Campus Public Safety Legislation

Next week [the week of Oct. 8], the most important legislation affecting campus public safety will be considered by the U.S. Senate. Senate Bill 2084 was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in July.  It includes three provisions sought by IACLEA:

• Establishes parity in federal death benefits for police officers on both public and private campuses who are killed in the line of duty,
• Establishes a National Center for Campus Public Safety to foster collaboration among campus safety stakeholders by serving as a focal point for research, model policies and best practices, education, and public policy formulation to enhance the safety and security of U.S. college and university campuses,
• Establishes a $50 million grant program for institutions of higher education to use for their campus public safety offices, in a 50-50 match.

The measure also provides grant monies for K-12 school security. It provides funding for a mental health data bank system for background checks of gun buyers.

We need your help to support passage of this legislation by contacting your Senators prior to the vote scheduled for next week. What follows is a sample letter, but please feel free to add specifics of your campus and the challenges you face and how this support will help you ensure your campus remains both open and safe. For example, if your campus has major research facilities, include a reference to them as a challenge to maintaining a safe and open environment.  If your campus has a sports facility that attracts the general public, that is worth noting as a challenge to your office.

Letters should be FAXed or E-mailed to Senate offices, since regular mail is delayed for security reasons. To find your Senator, go to www.senate.gov and select your state.  The contact information should be on the main Web page for each Senator.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Hon. Bob Smith

U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

BY FAX

Dear Senator Smith:

I am writing concerning Senate Bill 2084, the School Safety and Law Enforcement Improvement Act of 2007, which you will soon be considering. As you know, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved this bill in July 2007. The main section of the legislation funds a data bank for background checks of gun buyers to alert authorities to those with mental illness who are currently prohibited from purchasing firearms. This is not a new program; it simply funds a program that has been on the books for many years.  The tragic events at Virginia Tech this past spring show the need for such a database.

As a campus public safety leader in the state of (insert state), I urge you to support this important bill and those sections that address the critical need to protect colleges and universities. For the first time in history, Congress is offering modest support to enhance public safety for the thousands of postsecondary institutions, serving 15 million students, faculty and staff.

Our University (or college), our students, and our local communities benefit from three provisions of S. 2084:

• establishment of a National Center for Campus Public Safety, dedicated to fostering collaboration among campus safety stakeholders by serving as a focal point for research, model policies and best practices, education, and public policy formulation to enhance the safety and security of U.S. college and university campuses,
• establishment of a matching grant program of $50 million for institutions of higher education to continue to upgrade their campus public safety posture, including enhancing training for their officers and upgrading the quality of their equipment.
• establishment of parity in death benefits for sworn police officers whether they serve on public or private campuses.Thank you for your support.

  Sincerely,

  NAME AND TITLE

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