Tribal Law Enforcement Grants The Department of Justice is providing assistance to Native American law enforcement agencies in the form of Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grants for police officers and equipment. Please surf Here for the grant application and instructions on how to apply.

Background The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) created a series of programs to meet the needs of law enforcement in Native American communities. These programs include the Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP), Tribal Hiring Renewal Grant Program (THRGP), Tribal Mental Health and Community Safety Initiative (TMHCSI), and the Tribal Court Pilot Program (TCPP). COPS Native American programs address quality-of-life issues as well as a comprehensive list of law enforcement expenses, including hiring and training new community policing officers, training existing forces, purchasing new equipment, technology vehicles, and more. COPS has awarded more than $235 million since 1999 to help Native American communities, many of which have limited resources and suffer from high rates of crime and violence, hire more than 1,800 new community policing officers. In FY04 COPS will award an additional $25 million through TRGP and THRGP to bolster community policing and homeland security within Native American communities. Tribal Resources Grant Program Funding Provisions Grant requests should reflect the most serious law enforcement needs of an agency that are not funded with state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs funds and be linked to the implementation or enhancement of community policing. Funding provisions in previous years included three years of entry-level salary and benefits for newly hired, additional law enforcement officers. Funding provisions under TRGP 2004 include funding for law enforcement training, basic standard issue equipment, uniforms, department wide technology, and police vehicles. Funds are also available for law enforcement training and equipment for officers, depending on the needs of the department and subject to funding availability. Training includes basic and specialized police training at a Regional Community Policing Institute, a state academy, or the Indian Police Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, as well as grants management and computer training. Departments are also encouraged to request funding for other types of department wide law enforcement equipment and technology, such as police vehicles, computer hardware and software, mobile data terminals, and dispatch and communication systems. Tribes are encouraged to request equipment that will increase their ability to collect crime data. TRGP covers a maximum federal share of 75 percent of total project costs, including basic law enforcement training and equipment, vehicles, and technology. The program includes a local cash match requirement of 25 percent of total project costs. Waivers of the local match requirement may be granted only on the basis of a documented fiscal hardship. Waiver requests must be made at the time of application. Tribal hiring renewal Grant Program Funding Provisions THRGP provides 100% federal funding for fourth and fifth year salaries and benefits for COPS grant police officer positions that have recently expired and that the Tribe was unable to retain with Tribal, state, or BIA funding. Agencies requesting funding under this program must have received a retention exemption from COPS for positions being renewed. Applicants must submit a written retention plan certification committing to retain any COPS-funded officer position awarded for at least one full local budget cycle after the federal funding has ended. Initiative to Improve Law Enforcement in Tribal Communities TRGP is part of a larger federal initiative. For the last seven years, the Departments of Interior and Justice have worked together to improve law enforcement in tribal communities. In FY 2004, funds were appropriated to several Department of Justice (DOJ) agencies for this initiative, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the COPS Office. COPS coordinates with these agencies as well as with the Office of Law Enforcement Services of the Bureau of Indian Affairs BIA) to ensure that limited resources are not spent on duplicative efforts. Requirements Federal regulations require that financial assistance provided by the federal government be monitored to ensure that funds are used properly. In addition to the retention requirement that applies to all COPS hiring programs, supplanting is prohibited under this program. Any use of TRGP funds is required to be in addition to, and not in lieu of, previous funding commitments for law enforcement staffing, training, and/or equipment. Contact COPS For more information on TRGP please contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 800-421-6770, or visit COPS Online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.