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Find similar grantsUrban Vertical Patrol Unit is sponsored by U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Miami received $3 million in federal funding to establish a 24-officer Urban Vertical Patrol Unit, focusing on community-based policing strategies, including increased foot and bicycle patrols, to enhance safety in high-density areas.
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T he mission of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program is to advance community policing in jurisdictions across the United States. 1 The COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, so they can hire and train law enforcement officers in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies.
The COPS program was originally authorized by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P. L. 103-322; 1994 Crime Act).
Though the 1994 Crime Act established multiple programs under COPS, the program that provided grants to hire law enforcement officers to engage in community policing activities was the one that received the greatest attention. The program supported the Clinton Administration's goal to fund 100,000 new law enforcement officer positions. 2 Initial authorization of appropriations for the COPS program expired at the end of FY2000.
The COPS program was last reauthorized from FY2006 to FY2009 through the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P. L. 109-162; 2005 DOJ reauthorization).
Legislation to reauthorize the COPS program has been introduced in nearly every Congress since authorized appropriations expired at the end of FY2009. 3 , COPS Improvements Act of 2011 ( H. R.
1896 , 112 th Cong . ) , COPS Improvements Act of 2014 ( S. 2254 , 113 th Cong .
) , COPS Improvements Act of 2015 ( S. 2401 , 114 th Cong . ) , COPS Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( S.
2774 , 115 th Cong . ) , COPS Reauthorization Act of 2021 ( S. 3374 , 117 th Cong .
) , COPS Reauthorization Act of 2023 ( S. 1306 , 118 th Cong . ) , and More Fund...")
Legislation was also introduced in the 117 th and 118 th Congresses that would have expanded the allowable uses of COPS grants to address staffing shortages by allowing the grants to be used for, among other things, paying hiring and retention bonuses and funding recruiting activities. During an April 2024 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the COPS program, several members of the committee noted the need to reauthorize the program.
4 Grant Program , 118 th Cong. , 2 nd sess. , April 10, 2024.")
This report discusses issues policymakers might consider if they take up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program. It starts by providing legislative and funding histories for the COPS program. It then discusses select issues for Congress related to potential reauthorization legislation.
This includes issues that are specific to the structure of the COPS program, such as the limit on the total amount a law enforcement agency can receive to hire an officer, how funding is allocated among large and small jurisdictions, and how appropriations for COPS compare to the authorization for the program.
It also includes discussion of the role of the COPS program in addressing two larger issues facing law enforcement: decreases in law enforcement staffing and their potential effect on crime, and the use of force by officers and law enforcement's relationship with communities of color. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Legislative History The COPS program was first authorized by Title I of the 1994 Crime Act. The program was subsequently reauthorized by the 2005 DOJ reauthorization. Though appropriations for the COPS program have not been reauthorized since the 2005 DOJ reauthorization, laws have been enacted that have modified the scope of the COPS program.
This section of the report provides an overview of legislation related to the COPS program. It does not provide a comprehensive account of every change made to the program's authorization; rather, it highlights significant changes to the authorization that have shaped the current structure of the program. [](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 The 1994 Crime Act authorized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award COPS grants to state, local, and tribal governments, other public and private entities, and multijurisdictional or regional consortia to "increase police presence, to expand and improve cooperative efforts between law enforcement agencies and members of the community to address crime and disorder problems, and otherwise to enhance public safety."
To further this stated purpose of the COPS program, the act authorized DOJ to make grants to (1) hire law enforcement officers and train them in community policing; (2) rehire law enforcement officers who were laid off due to budget cuts to serve in community policing; and (3) procure equipment, technology, or support systems, or pay overtime, if it would increase the number of officers serving in community policing equal to or greater than the increase in the number of officers that would result from a grant for a similar amount to hire or rehire law enforcement officers to serve in community policing.
The act also authorized DOJ to award grants for a Troops-to-Cops program, which could be used to hire former members of the Armed Services to work as community policing officers. Under the act, authority to award hiring grants expired on September 13, 2000.
In addition, the act authorized DOJ to award COPS grants for other programs, projects, and activities (nonhiring programs) that would * increase the number of law enforcement officers engaging members of the community on proactive crime prevention and control strategies; * provide specialized training to law enforcement officers to enhance their conflict resolution, mediation, problem solving, service, and other skills needed to partner with members of the community; * increase police participation in multidisciplinary early intervention teams; * develop new technologies to help law enforcement agencies reorient their focus from reacting to crimes to preventing crimes; * help citizens engage in efforts with law enforcement agencies to prevent crime and to increase their access to the criminal justice system; * decrease the amount of time law enforcement officers must spend attending court hearings; * establish partnerships between law enforcement officers and young persons to engage in proactive efforts to control and prevent crime in the community; * establish management and administrative systems to facilitate adoption of community-oriented policing as an organizational philosophy; * establish, implement, and coordinate crime prevention and control programs with other federal programs to better address the comprehensive needs of the community; and * help purchase service weapons for law enforcement officers.
The act stated that federal funds could not cover more than 75% of the cost of hiring a law enforcement officer. Further, the act required that for any grant for hiring or rehiring a law enforcement officer that is longer than one year, the share of the cost covered by the grant recipient is required to increase each year.
The act also established a $75,000 per officer maximum amount for grants for hiring or rehiring a law enforcement officer. The act required DOJ to award not less than 0. 5% of the total amount of grant funding available each fiscal year to each qualifying state, unless all applications from the state have been funded.
It also provided that half of the annual funding for the COPS program must be awarded to jurisdictions of 150,000 or fewer people and the other half must be awarded to jurisdictions of more than 150,000 people.
The act required that those applying for a COPS grant submit an application for funding that * includes a long-term strategy and an implementation plan that reflects consultation with community groups and appropriate private and public agencies; * demonstrates a specific public safety need; * explains the applicant's inability to address public safety needs without grant funding; * identifies related governmental and community initiatives that complement or will be coordinated with the proposal; * certifies there has been appropriate coordination with all affected agencies; * outlines the initial and ongoing level of community support for implementing the proposal, including financial and in-kind contributions; * specifies plans for obtaining necessary support and continuing the proposed program, project, or activity following the conclusion of the grant; * specifies plans for how the applicant will pay an increasingly higher share of the officer's salary and benefits, if the application is for a grant for hiring or rehiring additional career law enforcement officers; * assesses the effect, if any, of the increase in police resources on other components of the criminal justice system; * explains how the grant will be utilized to reorient the law enforcement agency's mission toward community-oriented policing or enhance its involvement in or commitment to community-oriented policing; and * provides assurances that the applicant will, to the extent practicable, seek, recruit, and hire members of racial and ethnic minority groups and women in order to increase their ranks within the agency.
The act authorized DOJ to waive one or more of the application requirements for jurisdictions of fewer than 50,000 people and for any applications for grants for nonhiring programs under $1 million, and to "otherwise make special provisions to facilitate the expedited submission, processing, and approval of such applications." The act also required DOJ to include a monitoring component for any COPS grant.
Monitoring must include systematic identification and collection of data about activities, accomplishments, and programs throughout the life of the program, project, or activity and presentation of such data in a usable form. 5 Further, it required selected grant recipient programs to be evaluated by a local evaluator or as part of a national evaluation, pursuant to guidelines established by DOJ.
The act authorized DOJ to use any component of the department to administer the COPS program. It authorized appropriations for the program at $1. 332 billion for FY1995, $1.
850 billion for FY1996, $1. 950 billion for FY1997, $1. 700 billion annually for both FY1998 and FY1999, and $268.
0 million for FY2000. P. L.
105-302 amended the COPS authorization to allow DOJ to award grants to "establish school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems by using school resource officers who operate in and around elementary and secondary schools to combat school-related crime and disorder problems, gangs, and drug activities." [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)The Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act of 2003 The PROTECT Act of 2003 (P. L. 108-21) amended the COPS authorization to allow DOJ to award grants to assist state and tribal governments with enforcing sex offender registry laws.
6 [](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 The 2005 DOJ reauthorization changed the structure of and reauthorized appropriations for the COPS program.
The act amended the COPS authorization to make the COPS program a "single grant program under which the Attorney General makes grants to States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and private entities, and multi-jurisdictional or regional consortia" for a variety of purposes. These purposes were the nonhiring programs enumerated in the initial COPS authorization along with those added by P. L.
105-302 and the PROTECT Act. The 2005 DOJ reauthorization removed the authorization for the separate hiring and Troops-to-Cops programs. Under the new grant program DOJ was authorized to make grants to hire new law enforcement officers and rehire laid-off officers for community policing activities.
Despite making this an allowable purpose under the new grant program, the act did not extend the date on which DOJ's authority to make hiring grants expired (September 13, 2000).
The act also authorized DOJ to award COPS grants to "procure equipment, technology, or support systems, or pay overtime, to increase the number of officers deployed in community-oriented policing" and to "pay for offices hired to perform intelligence, anti-terror, or homeland security duties."
In addition, the act modified the technologies for which the grants could be used to help law enforcement agencies reorient their focus from reacting to crimes to preventing crimes to include "interoperable communications technologies, modernized criminal record technology, and forensic technology." The act reauthorized COPS appropriations at $1. 047 billion each year from FY2006 to FY2009.
[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 (P.
L. 111-211) authorized DOJ to award grants to tribal governments receiving direct law enforcement services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for many of the purposes for which COPS grants can be awarded. 7 The act also required DOJ to award grants to tribal governments to assist them in carrying out any of the purposes for which COPS grants can be used.
Per the act, tribal governments are not required to provide matching funds for the cost of the program and grant funds can be used to cover indirect costs. 8 The act authorized $40 million per fiscal year from FY2011 to FY2015 for grants to tribal governments. [](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)The Protecting Our Lives by Initiating COPS Expansion (POLICE) Act of 2016 The POLICE Act of 2016 (P. L.
114-199) authorized DOJ to award COPS grants to allow law enforcement officers to participate in nationally recognized, scenario-based active shooter training. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)21 st Century Cures Act The 21 st Century Cures Act (P. L.
114-255) authorized DOJ to awards COPS grants to * provide specialized training to law enforcement officers in recognizing individuals who have a mental illness, and in how to properly interact with such individuals; * establish programs that enhance the ability of law enforcement agencies to address the mental health, behavioral, and substance abuse problems of individuals encountered by law enforcement officers in the line of duty; * provide specialized training to correctional officers to recognize individuals who have a mental illness; and * enhance the ability of correctional officers to address the mental health of individuals under their supervision.
[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017 The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017 (P.
L. 115-113) authorized DOJ to award COPS grants to establish peer mentoring mental health and wellness pilot programs in state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. [](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P. L.
115-271) authorized DOJ to use funding appropriated for the COPS program to make grants to state law enforcement agencies with "high seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures for the purpose of locating or investigating illicit activities, such as precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine traffickers."
The act also authorized DOJ to use funding appropriated for the COPS program to make grants to state law enforcement agencies with "high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions, for the purpose of locating or investigating illicit activities, through Statewide collaboration, relating to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or relating to the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids." [](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Recruit and Retain Act The Recruit and Retain Act (P.
L. 118-64) authorized DOJ to award COPS grants to support hiring efforts for law enforcement agencies that have experienced declines in recruits by reducing application-related fees, such as fees for background checks, psychological evaluations, and testing.
The act required the COPS Office to award grants to law enforcement agencies that have partnered with an elementary or secondary school or college for recruiting activities, which can include the following: * helping students explore potential future career opportunities in law enforcement; * strengthening recruitment by law enforcement agencies that have had a decline in recruits or high rates of resignations or retirements; * enhancing community interactions between youth and law enforcement agencies that are designed to increase recruiting; and * supporting other recruitment activities such as dedicated programming for students, work-based learning opportunities, project-based learning, mentoring, community liaisons, career or job fairs, worksite visits, job shadowing, apprenticeships, or skills-based internships.
The act limited spending for these purposes to not more than $3 million of the amount of funding made available for the COPS program for these purposes. The act also required that grantees not spend more than 2% of funding they receive for hiring or rehiring officers on administrative costs. 9 [](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Appropriations for the COPS Program **Table 1** provides appropriations data for the COPS program since its inception. From FY1995 to FY1999, the annual appropriation for the program averaged nearly $1.
5 billion and most of the annual funding was for hiring programs. The relatively high levels of funding during this period, compared to post-FY2000 appropriations, were largely the result of the effort to fund 100,000 new law enforcement officer positions. After the initial push to fund the 100,000 new officers, the COPS program changed into a conduit for supporting a wider range of local law enforcement needs.
Starting in FY1998, an increasing portion of the annual appropriation for COPS was dedicated to programs that helped law enforcement agencies purchase new equipment, combat methamphetamine production, upgrade criminal history record systems, and improve their forensic science capabilities. Increased funding for nonhiring initiatives under the COPS account coincided with decreased funding for hiring programs.
By FY2005, appropriations for hiring programs were nearly nonexistent, and funding for them was eliminated for FY2006 and FY2007. Funding for hiring programs was revived when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P. L.
111-5) provided $1 billion for the COPS hiring program. Appropriations for hiring programs from FY2009 to FY2012 were the result of efforts to help local law enforcement agencies facing budget cuts (as a result of the recession) either hire new law enforcement officers or retain officers they would have otherwise had to lay off. Appropriations continued to be provided for hiring programs even as the effects of that recession waned.
There was a notable reduction in the total amount of funding provided for the COPS program after FY2012 relative to previous fiscal years. Prior to FY2012, the least amount of annual funding (in nominal dollars) provided for the program was $472 million for FY2006. Although COPS funding has increased over the past several fiscal years, annual funding from FY2012 to FY2021 remained significantly lower than it was before FY2012.
Lower annual appropriations for the COPS program during these fiscal years can likely be generally attributed to (1) a decrease in the amount of funding provided for hiring programs, (2) a ban on congressionally directed spending, and (3) restructuring of the COPS account. Increases in annual COPS funding starting in FY2022 are attributable to a partial reversal of some of these trends.
Congress prohibited congressionally directed spending—so-called _earmarks_—from FY2011 to FY2021. This ban substantially decreased funding for the Law Enforcement Technology and the Methamphetamine Clean-up programs, which were being administered by the COPS Office.
By FY2012, there was no funding for the Law Enforcement Technology program and the only funding remaining for the Methamphetamine Clean-up program was transferred to the Drug Enforcement Administration to assist with the clean-up of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. Funding for the Methamphetamine Clean-up program ceased in FY2018.
From FY2010 to FY2012, appropriations for several programs that were funded under the COPS account—such as Project Safe Neighborhoods, DNA backlog reduction initiatives, Paul Coverdell grants, offender reentry programs, the National Criminal History Improvement program, and the Bulletproof Vest Grant program—were moved to the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (S&LLEA) account in the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations legislation.
Programs funded under this account are administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Prior to the programs being moved to the S&LLEA account, appropriations for them were transferred from the COPS Office to OJP for administration. In general, from FY2001 to FY2011 appropriations for programs that were transferred to OJP accounted for one-third to one-half of the annual funding for the COPS account.
In recent fiscal years, differing proportions of the COPS account have again been transferred to OJP. Since FY2017, Congress has also provided funding for the Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) program under the COPS account, which has been transferred to OJP. Funding for the COPS program increased from $208 million for FY2015 to $685 million for FY2024.
Increased funding for the COPS account during this time is the result of increasing funding for hiring programs and for nonhiring initiatives such as anti-heroin task forces, active shooter training, and grants under the Matching Grant Program for School Security.
Also, the COPS account included funding for the COPS Law Enforcement Technology program from FY2202 to FY2024, which provided community project funding (also known as _earmarks_). Decreased funding for the COPS account in FY2025 was the result of funding for the COPS Law Enforcement Technology program being zeroed out under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P. L.
119-4). Funding for the Law Enforcement Technology program returned for FY2026. The return of this program for FY2026 accounts for the increase in the total COPS appropriation relative to FY2025, and increased funding for the program relative to what it received for FY2024 accounts for the increase in total COPS funding for FY2026 relative to FY2024 (see **Table A-1**).
[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Table 1. Appropriations for the COPS Program, FY1995-FY2026 Fiscal Year Total Appropriation Hiring Programs Appropriation Percentage Transferred to OJP **Source:**FY1995-FY2017 appropriations were provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
FY2018-FY2024 appropriations were taken from the explanatory statement to accompany the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act and from the text of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (P. L. 117-159).
FY2025 appropriations are based on CRS analysis of the text of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P. L. 119-4).
FY2026 appropriations were taken from the explanatory statement to accompany the FY2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (P. L. 119-74) and the text of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (P.
L. 117-159). **Notes:**Amounts include all supplemental funding, and are in nominal dollars.
Amounts for hiring programs reflect all set-asides (see **Table A-1** for more information). [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Select Issues for Reauthorization There are several issues that policymakers might consider, if Congress takes up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program; this section discusses some of these. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Cap on Hiring Grants The authorization for the COPS program sets a cap of $75,000 per officer for hiring grants. A provision in the annual CJS appropriations act since FY2012 has increased this cap to $125,000. 10 s tates that \" $253,093,613 is for grants under section 1701 of title I of the 1968 Act (34 U.S.C.
10381) for the hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers ... Provided , That, notwithstanding section 1704(c) of such title (34 U.S.C. 10384(c)), funding for hiring or rehiring a career law enforcement officer may not exceed $125,000 unless the Director of the Office of Community Orient...")
Because hiring grants are three years in duration, a grant would cover $41,667 of a new or rehired officer's salary and benefits each year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (**Table 2**), the total salary for a law enforcement officer making the median salary over a three-year period is $228,870, meaning that a grant recipient would be required to pay the remaining $103,870, which would require the grant recipient to provide 45% of the cost of hiring a law enforcement officer. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Table 2. Percentile Distribution of Annual Salaries for Police and Sheriff Patrol Officers **Source:**Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024, 33-3051, Police and Sheriff Patrol Officers.
Policymakers might consider whether to increase the $75,000 per officer cap on hiring grants in the COPS authorization (which has effectively been $125,000 since FY2012 because of a provision in CJS appropriations acts) to reflect the higher salaries for law enforcement officers since the COPS program was created in 1994.
If policymakers chose to increase the cap on hiring grants, they might also consider whether to establish a mechanism so that the cap increases in subsequent years, such as indexing the cap to inflation.
While a higher cap might make it easier for grant recipients to cover the cost of hiring new officers, it might also mean that the COPS Office would make fewer awards, assuming that appropriations for the hiring program do not increase at a rate commensurate with the increasing cap. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Changing Allocation Among Jurisdictions The current authorization for the COPS program requires the COPS Office to award half of annual funding for the program to jurisdictions of 150,000 or fewer people (_small jurisdictions_) and the other half to jurisdictions of more than 150,000 people (_large jurisdictions_).
Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) 2020 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey indicate that there are 175 local police departments serving large jurisdictions and 11,538 serving small jurisdictions.
11 The police departments serving large jurisdiction employ the equivalent of 202,430 full-time officers and the departments serving small jurisdictions employ the equivalent of 263,006 full-time officers. 12 The data show that large police departments make up a small percentage of all police departments and these departments employ a disproportionately large number of officers.
The police departments serving large jurisdictions account for 1. 5% of all police departments, but they employ 43. 5% of all officers in local police departments.
Congress might consider whether to change the way that COPS grants are allocated between small and large jurisdictions. The current requirement to split funding between small and large jurisdictions provides small jurisdictions, which tend to have fewer resources, with access to COPS funding.
Requiring half of the annual funding to be awarded to these jurisdictions ensures that they will be able to receive COPS grant funds and they will not get out-competed for grants by larger jurisdictions that might be able to employ personnel who have expertise in applying for grants. However, there are many more small jurisdictions competing against each other for grants than there are large jurisdictions.
Policymakers could consider a more gradated division of annual COPS funding. 13 Should Congress seek to alter the distribution of grant funding, it could consider a number of adjustments.
For instance, removing the current requirement to allocate half of funds to small jurisdiction and the other half to large jurisdictions and placing a limit on the number of officers a law enforcement agency can apply for, could leave more funding available for smaller agencies. 14 Pre-Award Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) , p. 7.")
Other adjustments could be made to facilitate different targeting priorities. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Altering the Structure of the COPS Authorization Congress changed the structure of the COPS program in the 2005 DOJ reauthorization. When the COPS program was initially authorized, there were distinct programs with specific purposes under COPS. The reauthorization changed the COPS program into a single grant program under which DOJ could award grants for a variety of enumerated purposes.
However, appropriations under the COPS account do not reflect the structure of the COPS authorization.
Congress continues to appropriate funding for specific purposes under the COPS account (e.g., hiring programs, active shooter training, anti-methamphetamine and anti-heroin task forces, school security programs) rather than providing funding for the general COPS program that would give DOJ some discretion regarding which purposes would be funded each fiscal year.
If policymakers decide to take up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program, they might consider whether to amend the COPS authorization to reflect what has been emphasized in the COPS account (i.e., distinct programs with specific purposes).
Policymakers could also evaluate the list of authorized purposes for which COPS grants can be awarded, which is now up to 23, to determine if any should be repealed given that some have never received funding or have not been funded in more than a decade (see **Table A-1** for a detailed breakdown of COPS funding, by program, for the past 10 fiscal years). [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)Authorizing the COPS Office The law that first authorized the COPS program did not authorize an office to administer the program. Rather, DOJ created the COPS Office administratively. 15 The COPS Office is the only grant-making agency in DOJ that does not have an authorization.
Both OJP (34 U.S.C. §10101) and the Office of Violence Against Women (34 U.S.C. §10442) are authorized in statute.
In addition, the grant making bureaus and offices in OJP have their own statutory authorization: * Bureau of Justice Assistance (34 U.S.C. §10141) * Bureau of Justice Statistics (34 U.S.C. §10132) * National Institute of Justice (34 U.S.C.
§10122) * Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (34 U.S.C. §11111) * Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (34 U.S.C. §20945) * Office for Victims of Crime (34 U.S.C.
§20111) The authorizations for these agencies provide for considerations such as who will head the agency, how that official will be appointed, who the official reports to, the agency's responsibilities and jurisdiction, and where the agency resides in DOJ's organizational structure. [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151) If Congress takes up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program, policymakers might consider whether to authorize the COPS Office in statute. While the COPS Office has existed uninterrupted since the program's inception, its structure is established through rulemaking, which means that its functions could be changed without congressional consent.
For example, the Trump Administration in FY2019 and FY2020 proposed merging the COPS Office with OJP to "streamline services, save taxpayer dollars, and eliminate duplication among DOJ's grant components."
16 If Congress chooses to pursue this, authorizing the COPS Office would allow Congress to establish the office's role in DOJ, its responsibilities, and its organizational structure (such as whether the director should be Senate-confirmed). [](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress.
gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
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gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www. congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)[](https://www.
congress. gov/crs-product/R48151)Law Enforcement Staffing Recent reports of law enforcement agencies losing officers because of retirement, leaving the profession, or moving to another (usually larger and better paying) agency has raised concerns among some policymakers about law enforcement staffing levels and their effects on public safety.
Legislation introduced in 118 th Congress would have allowed COPS funding to be used to pay hiring and retention bonuses and supplement current officers' salaries. 17; the Invest to Protect Act of 2023 ( H. R.
3184 and S. 1144 ); the COPS on the Beat Grant Program Parity Act of 2023 ( S. 1530 ); and the Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act ( S.
972 ).") In addition, as discussed above, the Recruit and Retain Act allows COPS grants to be used for recruitment efforts. The most recent data from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll show that the number of state and local law enforcement officers decreased from 2019 to 2023 (**Table 3**).
There was an increase in the number of law enforcement officers from 2023 to 2024, though there are fewer law enforcement officers than there were in 2019, when the decrease began. The decrease in law
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Local law enforcement agencies in Miami, Florida. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $3,000,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Urban Vertical Patrol Unit is funded by U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Florida. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
The Justice Department's timeline put September 2026 as the month it starts executing the Bureau of Justice Grants consolidation, folding OJP, COPS, and OVW into one component under a Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General. Phase 1 is a single NOFO template and a uniform review framework. The FY2027 request cuts BJG discretionary funding 30.3 percent to $3.057 billion while eliminating $939.4 million in earmarks. Here is what changes for applicants, what the legal fight does not change, and how to plan a FY2027 pipeline through it.
Read articleThe FY2026 COPS Hiring Program puts $157.5 million on the table to help local, state, tribal, and territorial agencies hire or rehire sworn officers — up to 75% of entry-level salary and benefits, capped at $125,000 per officer over three years, with a 25% local match. Here is how the cost-share math actually works, why the retention clause is the real obligation, who is eligible, how to win a competitive award, and why the July 23 Grants.gov deadline hides a second July 29 date most applicants miss.
Read articleThe FY2026 COPS Hiring Program will underwrite up to 75% of entry-level officer salaries for three years, capped at $125,000 per position. Here is how the $157.5M program actually scores applications, why the July 23 Grants.gov and July 29 JustGrants deadlines are a trap, and how small agencies should sequence a competitive application.
Read article