Strong Communities Act

Summary#

This bill adds a new COPS Strong Communities Program to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. The Attorney General may use amounts otherwise appropriated (starting in fiscal year 2025) to make competitive grants to local law enforcement agencies. Grants can pay for officers and recruits to attend law enforcement training programs at eligible entities. Eligible entities are institutions of higher education that offer training in coordination with a local agency, or local law enforcement agencies that run training programs.

To receive benefits, each officer or recruit must agree to: (1) serve full time as a law enforcement officer for at least 4 years during the 8 years after completing the training paid by the grant; (2) serve for that time in a local law enforcement agency located either within 7 miles of a residence where the officer has lived at least 5 years, or within 20 miles if the officer lives in a county with fewer than 150,000 residents; and (3) provide a certification of employment from the local agency to the training provider. If an officer or recruit does not complete the required service, the officer must repay the amount of benefits received, unless excused under categories of extenuating circumstances to be set by Attorney General regulation.

The Attorney General must report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees at least annually. Reports must include, for the prior year, the number and location of grant recipients and how many officers/recruits each recipient plans to send to training. Reports must also show, from enactment to the report date, how many officers/recruits attended training with grant funds and returned as employees of the recipient, and how many of those remain employees.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a recruit or officer from a qualifying community, a local agency may get grant money to pay for your training if you agree to serve locally for the required time and meet the residency rule. If you leave before completing service, you may need to repay the training benefits unless covered by approved exceptions.
  • If you work for or run a local law enforcement agency or a college that offers training, your agency or school can apply for competitive grants to fund training for local officers and recruits.
  • The Attorney General will provide yearly data to Congress about where grants go and how many trainees return as employees.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on total spending or cost estimates. The bill allows the Attorney General to use amounts otherwise appropriated to carry out the COPS section to make these competitive grants beginning in fiscal year 2025, but it does not specify dollar amounts.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.