State Sen. John Yudichak, D-Luzerne/Carbon, applauded the bipartisan support for the Attorney General's Mobile Street Crimes Unit displayed at a Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing Tuesday in Harrisburg. The success of the Mobile Street Crimes Unit across the commonwealth was a main point of discussion throughout the hearing with Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

"Since its first deployment in Hazleton, the specialized force has proven to be an incredible asset to local law enforcement and has made a significant impact on public safety in communities across the commonwealth," Yudichak said.In his 2015-16 state budget proposal, Gov. Tom Wolf included a $3.2 million, or 3.5 percent, increase for the Office of Attorney General. The budget proposal includes a $64,000 increase for the Mobile Street Crimes Unit; bringing total funding for the operation up to $2.544 million in this budget."While I am pleased to see a proposed increase for the Mobile Street Crimes Unit, today's discussion shows that there is an appetite to significantly expand the reach of this innovative crime-fighting unit," Yudichak said. "The effectiveness of the Mobile Street Crimes Unit is unmatched anywhere in the country; but it would truly be a game-changer if we were able to fully fund two separate units.""From Erie to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to Hazleton, we have communities struggling to win the war on crime and drugs. The Mobile Street Crimes Unit is the best tool available but we only have enough funding to reach one region at a time," Yudichak said. "Over the next three months of budget negotiations, I will work to ensure we maximize state support to all of our public safety efforts to ensure that our families and our children no longer live in fear of crime and violence in their own backyards."Yudichak championed the Attorney General's Mobile Street Crimes Unit through the Legislature in 2013.