01/26/94
NAC Says Brady will Increase Crime

   WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The president of the National Association of 
Chiefs of Police said the organization was not satisfied by what it 
called a lack of focus on crime during President Clinton's State of the 
Union address.

   Dennis Martin said Clinton's discussion of crime was a minor part of 
the speech, even though crime is one of the nation's top concerns.

   "What we find most reprehensible is that, while all the polls show 
Americans are by far more concerned about crime than any other issue in 
our nation, the president seems to believe it should take a back seat to 
virtually every other issue," Martin said in a statement after Tuesday's 
address.

   Martin said police chiefs favor a tough crime bill but question 
whether the House version of a crime bill contains appropriate funding 
to put 100,000 additional law officers on the street.

   "We wonder if the standing ovation for Jim Brady would have been so 
resounding if all those present realized that the Brady handgun-control 
law can be expected to backfire by leading to a rise in crime as 
understaffed, overworked law enforcement agencies are forced to devote 
millions of hours away from patrols and crime-solving to conduct 
background checks, mostly on law-abiding citizens," Martin said.

   The non-profit organization represents more than 11,000 command-rank 
officers.
