For Immediate Release
May 5, 2010
Contact: Nathan Flood
717-787-4420
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A Conversation with Senator Brubaker

Police Memorial Day Honors Fallen Officers

Each year on May 15, our nation observes Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor members of the law enforcement community who have been killed in the line of duty. The week in which May 15 falls is also designated as Police Week to honor the contributions and sacrifices of all law enforcement officers.

Across the nation, our police departments do a tremendous job of keeping us safe. The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently reported that every major violent and property crime rate dropped from 1999 to 2008. The overall violent crime rate fell 41 percent and the property crime rate declined by 32 percent during the last 10 years. Violent and property crime rates in 2008 were at the lowest levels recorded since 1973. This decrease in crime rates is a testament to the hard work and diligence of our law enforcement community.

However, this valiant service has come at a dear price. Since the first recorded police death in 1792, nearly 19,000 members of the law enforcement community have lost their lives in the line of duty, and 730 of these deaths occurred in Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, an average of 163 officers have been killed each year in the U.S.

As we observe Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we must never forget the tremendous sacrifices the law enforcement community must face in order to keep our streets safe. On behalf of our local Lancaster and Chester County communities, I would like to offer our most sincere thanks to the law enforcement community for their efforts to keep us safe, and I wish all of our officers a safe return from each day’s service. 

PA Treasury Department INVEST Program Helps Local Governments, Non-Profits

The Pennsylvania Treasury Department handles more than $120 billion in assets for the state, and they also oversee the investment of more than $80 billion per year. In addition to handling the state’s finances, the Treasury Department offers its investment expertise to help local governments and non-profit organizations through the INVEST program.

Similar in concept to money market funds, INVEST offers two short-term investment pools and custom pools for longer-term investment needs for local governments and non-profits. While INVEST funds are never commingled with state funds, the Treasury Department is able to negotiate better rates by leveraging its purchase power for INVEST as well as its investment pool for state agencies.  

INVEST's portfolios are managed by Treasury Department investment professionals, and the Treasury Department does not take a profit from managing these investments. This allows local governments and non-profits to get the maximum benefit from their investments without having to pay expensive management fees that can reduce the amount of funding available for our communities.  

The investments are monitored by Treasury Department investment professionals and Standard & Poor’s, one of the world’s premier rating companies. The program has received S&P’s highest ratings.  

Last year, the Treasury Department helped over 600 local government entities and non-profits receive millions in return on their near-cash investments. I would encourage local governments and non-profit organizations to learn more about the benefits of the INVEST program. More information on INVEST and other valuable state programs and services is available online at www.patreasury.org.