WHEREAS, President George W. Bush has emphasized that both education and drug enforcement are essential to solving America’s drug problem, noting, “America cannot pick and choose between these goals. All are necessary if any are to be effective;” and

WHEREAS, confronting the problem of drug abuse in this society calls for community participation in law enforcement as well as the involvement of law enforcement in community initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the Integrated Drug Enforcement Assistance (IDEA) strategy provides unprecedented opportunities for community coalitions to work in tandem with law enforcement in addressing drug abuse, creating a long-term impact through prevention and treatment initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the IDEA program has a demonstrated record of accomplishment in cities such as Portsmouth, Virginia, where citizens identifying drug-related problems in their community have already played a critically important role in providing solutions through the integration of community resources with law enforcement efforts;

WHEREAS, this innovative strategy utilizes Community Action Teams comprised of enforcement personnel and an on-site Demand Reduction Coordinator and Intelligence Analyst, with the ultimate goal of placing a DEA Demand Reduction Coordinator in every state. Enforcement efforts are reinforced by intensive follow-up by community-based organizations, businesses, faith-based organizations, parks and recreation departments, schools, drug courts, and restorative justice entities. The IACP believes that such action will support President Bush’s goal of balancing law enforcement efforts with demand reduction initiatives in a manner that promotes the positive commitment and contributions of community coalitions, whose participation is integral to the sustained progress of reducing the demand for drugs through prevention, education, and treatment; and, now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 109th Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, endorses the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency sponsorship of the Integrated Drug Enforcement Assistance (IDEA) program.