Sponsors (14)
The bill provides targeted federal grants to small and Tribal police agencies to improve training, officer wellbeing, and recruitment — at the cost of new federal spending and administrative/audit rules that could shift funds toward bonuses and limit access for some small jurisdictions.
Small local and Tribal law-enforcement agencies (under ~175 officers) can receive grants to fund de-escalation, domestic-violence, and other evidence-based trainings, improving officer response and community safety.
Agencies can use grant funds for officer mental‑health services, peer support, and trauma‑informed care, improving officer wellbeing and potentially reducing PTSD-related harms.
Grants may be used for signing and retention bonuses and graduate stipends (up to $10,000), helping small agencies recruit and retain officers and reduce staffing shortages.
All taxpayers face new federal spending of up to $50 million per year (FY2026–2030) to finance the grant program.
Allowing signing and retention bonuses (including up to 20% of salary) risks diverting grant dollars away from training, community programs, or services toward officer pay incentives.
Excluding agencies with unresolved audit findings from eligibility for up to three fiscal years could penalize small or rural jurisdictions and reduce their ability to improve training and services when they need help most.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a DOJ COPS grant program for small local governments (<175 officers) to fund officer mental‑health access, training, and recruitment/retention with a streamlined two‑hour application.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Catherine Marie Cortez Masto · Last progress February 27, 2025
Creates a new DOJ COPS grant program that gives grants to small local governments (including Tribal governments) that employ fewer than 175 law enforcement officers to fund officer access to mental health resources, de‑escalation and other safety trainings, and recruitment and retention activities. The Director of the COPS Office must award grants within 120 days of enactment and use a streamlined application process; the Attorney General must report to Congress within 60 days on barriers and a plan for a two‑hour maximum application process with technical assistance and dedicated liaisons.