MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2663

FOR the purpose of urging the Congress to amend the Safe
Streets Act to designate Prince George's and
Montgomery Counties as federal impact crime areas to
permit those counties to get their fair share of
federal crime—fighting funds.

WHEREAS, The District of Columbia Omnibus Crime
Control Bill has increased the size of the District of
Columbia Police Department, has provided for better
lighting and better crime-fighting techniques, and the
Safe Streets Act has provided the District of Columbia
with even more funds to fight criminals.

The combination of these two laws has made the
commission of a crime in the District of Columbia tougher
for the criminal; and the criminal has turned, therefore,
to the suburban counties of Maryland to perpetuate his
dastardly deed of violence. Due to the increased
effectiveness of the District of Columbia Police Force,
there has been no question but that there has been a
shocking increase in the percentage of District of
Columbia residents committing crimes in Maryland.

The recently published "Crime Analysis 1975, Prince
George's County" issued by the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, indicates that during 1974
one crime was committed every eight minutes in the
communities of Prince George's County. Nearly 35 percent
of those persons arrested for crimes committed in Prince
George's County were residents of other jurisdictions;
one out of every four defendants of serious offenses were
residents of the District of Columbia.

It, therefore, conclusively follows that Prince
George's and Montgomery Counties need more police
officers and more money for better police equipment and
police techniques in order to handle the problem. The
police officers of the two counties are highly
professional and are doing the best job possible, but
they are severely handicapped by lack of funds available
to fight the battle properly.

The citizens and taxpayers of Prince George's and
Montgomery Counties are overburdened already with taxes,
and the only fair resolution of the problem would be to
amend the federal law in order that Prince George's and
Montgomery Counties receive their fair share of
crime—fighting federal money; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
the Congress be urged to amend the Safe Streets Act to
designate Prince George's and Montgomery Counties as
Federal Impact Crime Areas in order to permit those
counties to get a fair share of federal crime—fighting
funds; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
the Maryland Congressional Delegation; Winfield M. Kelly,