WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $6 million in funding to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement.  Community Policing Development (CPD) funds are used to develop the capacity of law enforcement to implement community policing by providing guidance on promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities.

“As a former law enforcement executive, I know firsthand how these vital federal resources impact policing at the local level,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Providing law enforcement the tools they need to successfully do their jobs remains a priority for me, the Attorney General and the entire Department of Justice.”

Highlights of today’s awards include $200,000 to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) to train approximately 230 law enforcement officers stationed in schools throughout the country; $300,000 to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation for its Baseball to Badges Program; and $500,000 to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, Inc. for partnerships to address human trafficking. The full list of awards is available on the COPS Office website at: www.cops.usdoj.gov.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 130,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.