It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was passed and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services was established. We at the COPS Office are proud of the resources we’ve made available to state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement over the past two and a half decades—the grant funding we’ve provided, the officers added to our streets, and the progress made in helping advance the field through training, technical assistance, and publications. Just a few highlights and accomplishments include the following:

We simply can’t describe in detail here all the additional funding programs and innovative initiatives administered by the COPS Office throughout the past 25 years and the wide range of areas in which COPS Office funding has left a lasting impact on law enforcement and our nation’s communities. As we move forward into our second quarter-century, the COPS Office will focus on safeguarding the physical and mental health of our nation’s officers, changing the narrative on law enforcement to focus on the incredible work of the men and women who protect and serve our communities and providing assistance designed by the field, for the field. We’ll continue to examine both emerging and consistent challenges facing law enforcement, such as hate crimes, elder justice and elder abuse, the growing threat to public safety presented by unmanned aircraft systems (drones), officer hiring and retention efforts, the particular challenges in policing rural jurisdictions, and how to provide assistance to the front lines in the conflicts along our borders. Most important, the COPS Office looks forward to continuing our efforts to advance community policing, reduce violent crime, and build trust and mutual respect between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Happy 25th Anniversary, COPS Office!

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