The Press Enterprise - San Bernadino Shootings: Federal help sought to cover response costs

News Article

By Richard K. De Atley

Two Inland congressmen have written a letter seeking support of federal programs in the upcoming budget that can help cities such as San Bernardino recover costs from emergency events like the Dec. 2 terrorist attack that took 14 lives.

Reps. Peter Aguilar, a Democrat from San Bernardino, and Ken Calvert, a Republican whose district includes Corona, made a formal request to the House Appropriations Committee.

The costs have been especially burdensome for the city of San Bernardino as it makes its way through bankruptcy, the lawmakers noted on Friday, March 25.

Several local agencies responded with law enforcement and medical aid and transport on the day of the attack that took place at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino.

Early estimates have been put at $4 million in costs to Inland first responders for services after the shooting and the subsequent search and police shootout that killed Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the Redlands couple identified as the attackers.

That figure, discussed in early January, included $350,000 in overtime alone for the city of San Bernardino's police department.

The numbers are expected to grow as accounting is finalized.

"THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY'

Aguilar and Calvert's joint letter calls on the Appropriations Committee to support the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant and the Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Program, both geared to assist state and local government's costs for assisting local and state agencies in extraordinary emergencies.

The latter program was used to supply the state of Massachusetts close to $2 million to help law enforcement with costs associated with the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, the letter noted.

"Since the attack, we have worked closely with both the City and County of San Bernardino to address the issues raised by the attack, including the significant and burdensome expenses connected to the event," the joint letter stated.

It outlined issues agencies are facing to cover the costs of the attack.

"Critical law enforcement personnel have been forced to leave the streets, where they are desperately needed, and instead are wading through mounds of grant applications from multiple agencies in the hope of recouping lost resources.

"To make matters worse, the City of San Bernardino is going through bankruptcy proceedings and is finding it difficult to shift personnel around in this tight fiscal environment. There has to be a better way."

A separate letter from Aguilar to members of the Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security asks for consideration of a $267 million increase over President Barack Obama's fiscal 2017 request, to $467 million, for the State Homeland Security Grant Program.

It also seeks an increase of $270 million over the president's fiscal request, raising to $600 million the amount proposed for the Urban Area Security Initiative.

The letter also notes that a separate $50 million program could be the source of funds not only for training and preparation from threats of violent extremism, but also could "include reimbursements to local governments for response costs, the securing of locations in need of enhanced security, and other associated activities."

The Appropriations Committee will review the requests over the coming weeks and months as it considers the federal budget for the next fiscal year.

"As our community recovers, we need to make sure that our first responders continue to have the resources they need so San Bernardino and the Inland Empire can move forward," Aguilar said in a statement.

"The terrorist attack in San Bernardino was clearly a national security incident," Calvert said in a statement. "In my opinion, it's entirely appropriate for the federal government to help offset some of the significant costs our local law enforcement agencies incurred in their heroic response to this tragic incident."

Farook and Malik were inspired by the Islamic State, but not under the command of the terrorist group, the FBI said. Bombs left inside the resource center as part of the attack failed to explode.

FINAL COSTS UNDER REVIEW

The San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services is still researching the costs for all local governments involved in first responder and other emergency other work done during the attacks and their aftermath, OES chief Michael Antonucci said recently.

"The costs associated with events of this magnitude have a significant impact on our local budgets," Sheriff John McMahon said in a statement.

"Securing federal funds to help our region recover from the attack in San Bernardino is critical," San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said in a statement.

Both law enforcement officers thanked Aguilar and Calvert for their work.

Source