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Tempe, ASU could feel squeeze from Homeland Security budget


Officials from the Arizona Office of Homeland Security are bracing for an estimated $12 million decrease in next year's federal funding.

Although President George Bush recently signed a bill that would increase federal appropriations to the department by $1.8 billion, the Arizona office, which received $53 million this year, is expecting to receive 23 percent less grant money in 2005.

But representatives for both the Tempe and ASU police said they would continue to guard students and the community from threats.

John Phelps, deputy director of the Arizona Office of Homeland Security said the final budget wouldn't be known until January.

"The department is trying to move funding where the threats and vulnerabilities are highest," he said.

Phelps said Tempe and ASU might actually stand to benefit in the coming year.

"The government is placing an emphasis on security within urban areas," he said. "Phoenix and Tempe may receive an increase in funding."

Phelps said Arizona has been working to assess the current areas it needs to improve in an attempt to limit the effects of possible cuts.

As part of that effort, the office has divided the state into five regions.

Rebecca Jahn, a spokeswoman for the Arizona office, said having five regional councils has made the process of distributing funds more efficient.

In the past few years, Tempe police, who are considered first responders to emergency situations, have used grants from the office to prepare officers to deal with weapons of mass destruction and to improve their communications equipment, said Tempe police Sgt. Dan Masters.

"If a region or sheriff's office feels it needs to provide [added] protective equipment for first responders [under this system] it should be easier to get funds," Jahn said.

She said state officials found cities were experiencing problems in the grant application process in July after Secretary Tom Ridge assembled a task force to look at the process.

"The office hasn't been around that long," Jahn said. "So we are looking for more efficient ways of doing business."

Both Phelps and Jahn stressed that while federal funding is certainly important, Homeland Security in the state has other sources of support.

"To be honest, we aren't losing much sleep over it," Phelps said. "Right now it's in the hands of the federal government."

Phelps said the office receives both state and private funding in addition to the federal grants.

In the meantime, Jahn said the office would enhance the capabilities of first responders in rural areas with the remainder of this year's funds.

"Realistically [next year's] budget cuts will mean that less monies will go to rural counties," she added. Jahn said preparing now would keep the state ready to deal with threats if it receives fewer federal dollars.

Masters said his department had already been assured $1.2 million to improve its preparedness under the Urban Areas Security Initiative.

Masters said Tempe police plan to use the funding to train officers in mock-emergency scenarios and to provide the department with better equipment, such as communications equipment, bomb detection devices, photographic equipment and breathing apparatuses to be used during possible terrorist attacks.

Tempe's funding was part of a $12 million Valley-wide grant, Masters said.

ASU police recently received money from a separate grant to replace their dated dispatch system.

ASU police Cmdr. John Sutton said the department has made numerous changes since Sept. 11, 2001.

"Officers have attended weapons of mass destruction training and the University has established an emergency operations center; [both] would help the department deal with a crisis," he said.

Religious studies sophomore Steven Cottam said he feels safe at the University.

"The only time I have been concerned about terrorism was during the debate," he said.

Cottam said because his classes were changed the week of the debate, it was hard to ignore the possibility of an attack.

He added if the state lost federal funds, it would be justifiable if the funds were allocated to states with a higher risk.

"I think the overall concern to protect the country is more important," Cottam said.

Business freshman Lacey Kepner said while she feels safe at ASU, she has concerns.

"I think because we are such a huge university [terrorists] could target a lot of people at once," she said. "It is just like any big city."

Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.


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