Lawmakers commend state police for Katrina relief

By Joannah Nwokeabia
Capital News Service

RICHMOND – While the finger-pointing over the mismanagement of the Hurricane Katrina disaster continues at the nation’s capital, in Virginia lawmakers have given State Police the thumbs up for its involvement in the relief efforts in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Delegate Charles Carrico, R-Independence, is the chief sponsor for House Joint Resolution 198. Sixty-nine other lawmakers in the House joined him in commending the Virginia Department of State Police for its quick and effective response in the wake of the storm. The resolution easily passed voice votes in both houses.

It states: “The response of the Virginia Department of State Police to the disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was indicative of the selflessness, dedication, and courage of the members of the Virginia State Police.”

Over the course of about three months, nine different task forces of state and local police traveled to devastated Gulf Coast states to lend their services. In the weeks following the hurricane, which killed around 1,300 people, state task forces provided supplemental law enforcement to short-staffed localities with swelling and frustrated populations.

In hard-hit Baton Rouge, La., a state police helicopter provided bottled water to stranded persons, assisted with search and rescue efforts and transported survivors. Virginia troopers also dispatched a Critical Incident Stress Management Team that provided crisis counseling for Louisiana public safety officers.

Delegate William Barlow, D-Smithfield, one of the legislation’s co-sponsors, said HJ 198 demonstrates lawmakers’ appreciation of public safety officials who served in the devastated region.

“We were proud and pleased with what state police did with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort,” he said. “All indications we have are that they performed very well.”

On the other hand, the Bush administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency, the government’s disaster preparation, response and recovery arm, have come under intense criticism for what many consider was a delayed response to Katrina’s aftermath on their part.

Most recently, a videotape last week surfaced that contradicts President George Bush’s earlier assertions that he was not summarily informed of the gravity of the situation. The video shows President Bush being advised the day before Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees and wreak havoc on New Orleans, the hardest-hit area.

NOTE: Here are the lawmakers who endorsed the HJ 198:

Patrons -- Carrico, Abbitt, Albo, Alexander, Armstrong, Barlow, Bell, Bowling, Bulova, Byron, Callahan, Cosgrove, Crockett-Stark, Dudley, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Englin, Fralin, Frederick, Gilbert, Griffith, Hall, Hargrove, Hogan, Howell, A.T., Hull, Hurt, Iaquinto, Ingram, Janis, Joannou, Johnson, Jones, D.C., Kilgore, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Lohr, Marsden, Marshall, R.G., May, McClellan, McEachin, Miller, Moran, Nixon, Nutter, Oder, Orrock, Parrish, Phillips, Purkey, Putney, Rapp, Rust, Saxman, Scott, E.T., Scott, J.M., Shannon, Shuler, Sickles, Suit, Tata, Tyler, Valentine, Ward, Wardrup, Ware, O., Watts, Welch and Wright.