one of the reasons for the current police state is because the federal government is giving cops billions of bucks to help them in their war against the taxpayers Original Article Feds' cuts to local police worry some Judi Villa The Arizona Republic Feb. 11, 2005 12:00 AM President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal year 2006 includes surprising cuts from programs designed to safeguard the nation's communities from crime and terrorism, including money earmarked to protect Arizona. And while it is too early in the process to say exactly how much money Arizona stands to lose, it's clear that the cuts could be deep, and the hand-wringing has already begun. Bush's plan calls for states to receive nearly $1.5 billion less from the Department of Justice and $310 million less from the Department of Homeland Security. Among the harshest cuts: The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which has helped put more than 100,000 new police officers on the streets, would lose $480 million, a reduction of about 80 percent. The State Homeland Security Grant Program would lose $280 million. Grants to high-threat, high-density urban areas would be cut by $55 million. "When we start fussing with the safety and security of the folks in Arizona, it's a big deal," said Jeanine L'Ecuyer, spokeswoman for Gov. Janet Napolitano. Across the Valley, police and firefighters have benefited from federal money, and officials say any cuts can only hurt the state. Since 1994, law enforcement agencies in Arizona have received more than $241 million to hire new officers, improve technology and explore new community policing ideas. The money has put 99 officers in schools, provided laptops to patrol officers in Mesa and helped Tempe police beef up their bike squad. More than 2,700 officers were hired in Arizona under the program, which paid 75 percent of a new officer's salary and benefits for three years. "This was really the meat and potatoes as far as putting cops on the streets," said Jake Jacobsen, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. "This is going to hurt if it stays that way." It's also going to hurt agencies that rely on federal homeland-security grants. Since 2002, Arizona has shared grants totaling about $115 million. Last year, the Phoenix Fire Department alone received $2.3 million to buy biohazard suits for firefighters, respirators, body removal carts, biohazard detection equipment and antidotes for biochemical attacks. Phoenix also ordered three heavy-rescue fire trucks for statewide rapid responses, said Assistant Fire Chief Bob Khan. Khan said Phoenix relies on federal money to cover training costs and buy equipment for its elite Urban Search and Rescue Team as well as for the Metropolitan Medical Response Team, a biohazard response unit. The teams also are used daily to respond to emergencies from car crashes to chemical spills. "If the funding is reduced, there will be a direct impact. Our ability to mitigate man-made emergencies or national disasters will be greatly reduced," Khan said. "It isn't necessarily like closing down a fire station. But it could impact those unusual life-threatening emergencies that we have additional skills to respond to."