On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Offices) announced it had awarded more than $600 million in grants to law enforcement agencies across the country.
The funding will be used for a variety of efforts, from hiring new law enforcement officers to expanding programs support law enforcement officers’ mental health and wellness services to combating the flow of illegal drugs into the country.
Part of the DOJ’s celebration of the COPS Office’s 30th Anniversary, the funding was announced to commemorate the passage of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994.
“Since its founding 30 years ago, the COPS Office has shown the country what it looks like to put the values of community-oriented policing into action,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “This coming year, the Justice Department will provide funding for 235 police departments to hire nearly 1,200 additional officers. As we celebrate this milestone and announce this funding, we recommit ourselves to the COPS Office’s mission, and to the belief that everyone in this country deserves to feel safe, and to be safe, in their communities.”
The COPS Hiring Program received $157 million for 235 law enforcement agencies to hire nearly 1,200 additional officers, as part of the grant program. Also, the School Violence Prevention Program/Bipartisan Safer Communities Act received $73 million for school safety measures, while the Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) Program received $105. Million. Other programs receiving funding included the COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) and the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), among others.
“For 30 years, the COPS Office has been crucial to keeping our communities safe,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said. “From helping communities build public safety capacity by putting more cops on the beat to helping law enforcement professionals build resilience — the COPS office has been a game changer for public safety.”