Bill > S768

This bill establishes a grant program within the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) to provide financial assistance to local law enforcement agencies with fewer than 175 officers, including Tribal governments. The grants can be used for various purposes such as de-escalation training, victim-centered domestic violence training, law enforcement safety training for complex scenarios (like active shooter situations or responding to calls involving people with mental health needs), providing signing and retention bonuses for officers, offsetting overtime costs for training, offering graduate education stipends, providing behavioral health services for officers, implementing best practices for force use and officer intervention, and collecting data on police practices. The bill requires a streamlined application process that should take no more than two hours to complete, mandates public disclosure of bonuses, and includes strict accountability measures such as mandatory audits to prevent waste and fraud. Recipients with unresolved audit findings can be excluded from future grants, and the Attorney General must submit annual reports on grant usage and effectiveness. The program is authorized for fiscal years 2026-2030 with up to $50 million appropriated annually, aiming to support smaller law enforcement agencies in improving training, officer wellness, and community safety.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/768/all-info