News release
Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, has introduced new legislation to restore federal funding for law enforcement hiring grants to their original level, fully funding the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services program that has hired thousands of officers across the country, said a news release from the congressman’s office.
The COPS Reauthorization Act would restore more than $1 billion in federal funding annually through 2030 for officer hiring, training and deployment to local departments, the release said. Rep. Whitesides introduced the bill along with Rep. Josh Harder, D-Stockton, and Rep. John Rutherford, R-Florida.
“Supporting community-oriented law enforcement is essential to our area’s safety and I am proud to be leading legislation that will fully fund such a critical hiring program for local departments,” Whitesides said in the release. “This legislation will make it easier for our police departments to recruit qualified officers and invest in reliable crime-fighting strategies. A well-staffed, well-trained police force is the bedrock of community safety and reauthorizing COPS is a concrete step towards ensuring that more areas in our district and across America have that protection.”
Administered by the Department of Justice, the (Community Oriented Policing Services) COPS program is the No. 1 federal tool for helping local departments hire law enforcement officers, totaling 140,000 nationwide since the program’s founding, the release said.
But since 2009, the COPS program has not been fully funded, causing annual grants to constantly be at risk of disruption during federal budget fights.
“Without reauthorization, this critical program risks losing the sustained federal support needed to ensure law enforcement agencies can continue protecting communities and responding to emerging public safety needs,” the release said.
