Sec. 2. Findings
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Congress finds the following: The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (referred to in this section as the COPS Office ) was established within the Department of Justice pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ( Public Law 103–322 ; 108 Stat. 1796) in order to provide grant funding to law enforcement agencies to improve policing and add 100,000 police officers to law enforcement agencies across the United States. Since 1994, the COPS Office has distributed more than $14,000,000,000 to more than 13,000 State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 law enforcement officers under the program established under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq. ) (referred to in this section as the COPS program ).
For fiscal year 2022, Congress appropriated $246,000,000 for the COPS Hiring Program under section 1701(b)(2) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10381(b)(2) ) (referred to in this section as the CHP ). The total amounts appropriated for the COPS programs has steadily increased over the last several years from $222,000,000 for fiscal year 2017 to $512,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, adding to the administrative of responsibilities and workload of the COPS Office.
For fiscal years 2021 and 2022, in addition to continued funding for the CHP, COPS Office grants were awarded for a wide variety of purposes for law enforcement agencies to improve public safety and implement best practices. In authorizing COPS program funding at increasing levels each year, Congress is obligated to monitor how these Federal dollars are invested and that funds are spent as effectively as possible to carry out the goals of the COPS program. As the COPS program has expanded to provide increased funding for public safety, the critical need to dedicate resources to administering this program, overseeing its implementation, and tracking its efficacy becomes more pressing.
Law enforcement agencies will likely need more resources to comply with accountability requirements as additional law enforcement officers are hired and training programs are made more robust. The Federal Government should be investing in evidence-based, proven training strategies that will make the communities of the United States safer. Yet, many training techniques have not been sufficiently studied or do not empirically reduce use of force incidents. When local law enforcement agencies receive Federal funding, they must comply with civil rights laws.
It is the duty of Congress to— ensure the accountability of recipients of Federal funds; manage taxpayer dollars in a responsible and efficient manner; and prevent Federal dollars from supporting policing, or any other practices, that violate the civil and constitutional rights the people of the United States. It is the duty of Congress to ensure that Federal funds are invested in effective law enforcement training techniques and technologies that— reduce negative or dangerous encounters between communities and police, including use of force incidents; increase the diversion to mental health and other social service of calls for service; and improve public safety.
The COPS Office does not evaluate its programs or grant awards to ensure investments in activities that— improve police relationships with communities; and reduce negative or dangerous interactions between law enforcement officers and the public, including use of force incidents. Congress must act to remedy this lack of oversight and ensure that— the COPS program is operating in an effective way; and funds are invested in activities that promote and enhance public safety and respect the dignity and rights of all people.
To ensure the efficient administration and responsible management of the COPS program, Congress must provide the Department of Justice sufficient resources to achieve these goals. Accountability and transparency in law enforcement and all other government activities are essential to a healthy democracy and a functional system of public safety. Providing the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies with the resources to implement, monitor, and optimize policing strategies will improve both community safety and public trust in law enforcement.
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- Pub. L. 103-322
- 108 Stat. 1796
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