DOJ announces $40 million to fund ‘community policing’
WASHINGTON (DOJ) – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the availability of approximately $40 million in funding in Community Policing Development (CPD) grants and roughly $5 million for the Collaborative Reform Initiative. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland first announced the expansion of technical assistance services offered to law enforcement agencies through the Collaborative Reform Initiative in March 2022.
The Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) CPD funds are used to help law enforcement implement community policing through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities. The Collaborative Reform Initiative offers a range of intermediary and intensive forms of technical assistance, including targeted assistance following a critical incident, issue-specific reviews and analysis, and in-depth assessments on systemic issues that damage community trust and confidence. Each level of the initiative’s assistance is voluntary and provided at the request of law enforcement agencies.
“Nothing is more important than keeping our communities safe,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Each day, approximately half a million people throughout the United States call 911 for help and there are hundreds of thousands more daily interactions between law enforcement and members of the communities they serve. The funding we are announcing today is critical to the department’s commitment to public safety and best practices in community policing.”
Highlights of the 2022 CPD funding include:
Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT). Up to $10 million will support crisis intervention teams.
De-escalation Training. Up to $15 million will support national level de-escalation training for officers through a network of regional centers.
Accreditation. Up to $8 million to expand state accreditation programs and assist agencies with gaining accreditation will ensure compliance with state and national standards, covering all aspects of law enforcement policies, procedures and practices.
COPS Microgrants. Up to $5 million will support local agencies’ demonstration or pilot projects, known as COPS Microgrants. These projects offer creative ideas to advance crime fighting, community engagement, problem solving or organizational changes to support community policing.
Tolerance, Diversity and Anti-Bias Training. Up to $2 million will support the delivery of tolerance, diversity and anti-bias training for law enforcement officers.
The Collaborative Reform Initiative continuum includes:
The CPD solicitation will close on June 23, 2022, and the Collaborative Reform solicitation will close on July 8, 2022. Additional information can be found on the COPS website at https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants.
https://breaking911.com/just-in-doj-announces-40-million-to-fund-community-policing/