By Jocelyn Bogen
April 12, 2004

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) recently made a number of grant announcements related to the continuing fight against crime.

$27.1 Million for Hiring

The COPS Office announced $27.1 million in grants to be dispersed to local police and sheriff's department to hire additional officers. "These funds will provide police and sheriff's departments with added resources, and will help make our communities safer places to live and work," said Carl R. Peed, Director of the COPS Office.

Grants have been be awarded to 85 law enforcement agencies in 42 states and Puerto Rico, and will result in the hiring of 370 additional community policing officers. The grants were awarded under the COPS Universal Hiring Program, and provide 75 percent of the total salary and benefits of each new officer over three years, up to a maximum of $75,00 per officer.

$20.7 Million for School Resource Officers

The COPS office also announced COPS In Schools program grants totaling $20.7 million to add 194 officers to schools. The grants provide a maximum of $125,000 toward the salary and benefits of each new School Resource Officer (SRO) over three years.

"If you talk to any School Resource Officer they will tell you that their presence prevents school-based crime, breaks-down barriers between law enforcement and youth, and can lead to the resolution of many crimes committed outside of the school," stated Director Peed.

The grants have been awarded to 111 law enforcement agencies in 42 states and Puerto Rico. The COPS In School program funds the hiring of police officers that are assigned to a school as their community policing beat. The specific duties of an SRO are determined locally based on the needs of the community, and the SRO's presence on campus deters crime and violence, and provides an immediate response to occurrences that cannot be prevented.

Stalking Publication for Police Now Available

The latest publication in the Problem Oriented Guides for Police focuses on Stalking. Each volume summarizes knowledge about how police can reduce the harm caused by specific crime and disorder problems.

It is estimated that more than a million women and nearly half a million men are stalked in the U.S. each year. The new guide will assist law enforcement with identifying stalking and the possible responses to the crime.

There are 22 guides available for use in determining best practices to fight crime, with additional topics range from graffiti and bullying, to financial crimes against the elderly and clandestine drug labs. A COPS Office publication request can be obtained by calling (202) 514-4229.

COPS Conference June 21-23, 2004

The COPS Conference will be held June 21-23 in Washington (DC) at the Marriott Wardham Park Hotel. The purpose of the conference is to help law enforcement and criminal justice professionals of all levels stay at the top of their field through seminars and opportunities to learn from one another. For more information, go to the website www.cops.usdoj.gov.