Federal Support for Law Enforcement:
February 5, 2021
Selected Department of Justice Programs
Karma Ester
Congress has authorized a range of grant programs that support state, local, and tribal
Senior Research Librarian
law enforcement. This report provides information on selected Department of Justice

grants administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Selected grant programs target police

hiring, equipment procurement, officer safety and wel ness, drug task forces, community
policing, school violence response, and crisis intervention.
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Introduction
Historical y, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has provided financial assistance to state, local, and
tribal law enforcement agencies to assist them with addressing crime, purchasing equipment,
providing training, and supporting community policing efforts. The major offices within DOJ that
administer grants are the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services (COPS), and the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW).1 This report
focuses on those grants administered by OJP and COPS that provide direct assistance to law
enforcement agencies. These include grants that support police hiring, equipment procurement,
officer safety and wel ness, drug task forces, community policing, school violence response, and
crisis intervention. This report does not include information on grants targeting other DOJ
priorities, such as assistance for victims of crime, drug courts, improvements to the juvenile
justice system, or research on justice-related issues.
This report includes brief descriptions of each grant program, summary information on eligibility,
purpose areas, matching requirements, links to agency information and the grant program
solicitation, and related CRS reports.
Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is a federal agency that provides federal leadership, grants,
training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and
reduce crime, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and
juvenile justice systems. Its six program offices support state and local crime-fighting efforts,
fund thousands of victim service programs, help communities manage sex offenders, address the
needs of youth in the system and children in danger, and provide vital research and data.2
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
JAG formula grants can be used to support a range of program areas, including law enforcement,
crime prevention and education, drug enforcement, technology improvement, crime victim and
witness initiatives, and mental health programs.
Eligibility for State Funding: states, including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories
Eligibility for Local Funding: Local units of government and federal y recognized tribal
governments that perform law enforcement functions may be eligible to receive an al ocation
based on the jurisdiction’s proportion of the average number of violent crimes reported in the
state for the past three years for which data are available.3
Match Requirement: none

1 T he Office of Justice Programs (OJP) includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency (OJJDP), Office of Victims of
Crime (OVC), and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and T racking
(SMART ).
2 See Department of Justice (DOJ), OJP, “About Us,” accessed February 5, 2021, at https://www.ojp.gov/about.
3 Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Allocations for local jurisdictions that are
eligible for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) are listed on the OJP website. See BJA, JAG
Program, “FY 2020 Allocations and Disparate Information,” at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/jag/fy-2020-allocations-
and-disparate-information.
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Additional Information:
 FY2020 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program State
Formula Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17277
 FY2020 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Local
Formula Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17276
 JAG Program website
https://bja.ojp.gov/program/jag/overview
 CRS In Focus IF10691, The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
(JAG) Program
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program
(COSSAP)
This competitive grant program is intended to support local and tribal efforts to reduce the
adverse effects of opioids, stimulants, and other drugs on communities. Al owable uses have
included law enforcement and first responder diversion programs, naloxone for first responders,
and embedding social service workers with law enforcement.
Eligibility: units of local government and federally recognized tribal governments
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 FY2020 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based
Program (COSSAP)
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17023
 CRS Report R44987, The Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It:
Frequently Asked Questions
Strategies for Policing Innovation
This competitive grant program assists state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in reducing crime and
improving criminal justice systems using evidence-based policing practices, information sharing,
and multiagency collaboration. Funds for crime reduction can be used for new personnel,
overtime, technology purchases, and data analysis support.
Eligibility: state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies; tribal governments performing law
enforcement functions; and governmental agencies acting as fiscal agents for law enforcement
agencies
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 Strategies for Policing Innovation FY2020 Competitive Grant Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/bja-2020-
17028.pdf
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration
Initiative
This competitive grant program is administered in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and provides funding to areas experiencing sharp
increases in gun-related violent crime. Priority is given to jurisdictions with high volumes of
nonfatal shootings, firearms-related homicides, and Project Guardian participants.4
Eligibility: state, local, and tribal law enforcement; other governmental agencies; and tribal
governments
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intel igence Center (CGIC) Integration
Initiative FY2020 Competitive Grant Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/bja-2020-
17017.pdf
 ATF CGIC Fact Sheet
https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-crime-gun-intel igence-
centers-cgic
Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia
and Developmental Disabilities Program
This competitive grant program supports local jurisdictions’ efforts to reduce the number of
deaths and injuries of individuals with forms of dementia or developmental disabilities by using
location revealing technologies and developing programs to prevent wandering from safe
environments.
Eligibility: health care agencies; state, local, and tribal law enforcement; public safety agencies;
and nonprofit organizations
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 FY2020 Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and
Developmental Disabilities Program Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/o-bja-2021-44004FY2020
Gulf States Law Enforcement Technology Initiative
This competitive grant program focuses on information sharing between law enforcement
agencies in the Gulf states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to reduce crime
and drug trafficking.

4 T he Department of Justice announced Project Guardian on November 13, 2019. Designed to reduce gun violence and
enforce federal firearms laws across the country, it specifically focuses on investigating, prosecuting, and preventing
gun crimes.
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Eligibility: local and tribal law enforcement agencies, local and tribal governments, and tribal
consortia acting as fiscal agents for one or more tribal law enforcement agencies in the Gulf states
of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 Gulf States Law Enforcement Technology Initiative FY2020 Competitive Grant
Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/bja-2020-
17273.pdf
STOP School Violence Program
This competitive grant program provides training for schools, students, and law enforcement to
recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence. These funds also may be used to
develop anonymous reporting systems, establish intervention teams, and train school personnel to
respond to mental health crises.
Eligibility: states, units of local government, federal y recognized Indian tribes, law enforcement
agencies, and nonprofit entities
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 FY2020 STOP School Violence Program Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17312
 CRS In Focus IF10836, Department of Justice Support for School Safety
Initiatives
 CRS In Focus IF10992, Department of Education Support for School Safety
Initiatives
 CRS In Focus IF10882, Department of Homeland Security Resources for School
Security and Safety
Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to
Support Law Enforcement Agencies
This competitive grant program funds the purchase of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the
establishing, updating, and/or expanding of BWC programs.
Eligibility: states, units of local government, and federal y recognized Indian tribes
Match Requirement: Funds require a 50% cash or in-kind match. Funding is capped at $2,000
per BWC.
Additional Information:
 BWC Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17732
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Supporting Small and Rural Law Enforcement Agency Body-Worn
Camera Policy and Implementation
This competitive grant program is for organizations that provide BWC training and technical
support to smal or rural law enforcement agencies.5 Grant recipients are responsible for
distributing funds for BWCs and program-related expenses.
Eligibility: national nonprofit and for-profits, tribal nonprofit and for-profits, and institutions of
higher education
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 Supporting Smal and Rural Law Enforcement Agency BWC Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17011
Officer Safety-VALOR Initiative
The purpose of this competitive grant program is to promote officer safety through specialized
training, which includes officer safety and wel ness, crisis intervention and resolution training,
active shooter response, officer suicide prevention and peer counseling, research on law
enforcement injuries and fatalities, and program evaluation.
Eligibility: nonprofit and for-profit organizations, tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations,
state and local governments, federal y recognized tribal governments, and institutions of higher
education
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 Officer Safety-VALOR Initiative website
https://bja.ojp.gov/program/valor/overview
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP)
This competitive grant program supports collaboration across criminal justice and mental health
systems to improve public safety responses to individuals with mental il ness or co-occurring
mental il ness and substance abuse. Program areas have focused on embedding social workers or
mental health workers with law enforcement, supporting mental health centers, and mitigating
threats of targeted violence.
Eligibility: states, units of local government, and federal y recognized tribal governments
Match Requirement: Funds require a 20% match of the total cost of the project for the first two
years and 40% for the third project year. Recipients may satisfy this match requirement with
either cash or in-kind services.

5 Per the grant solicitation, small and rural law enforcement agencies are defined as “(A) any area or community,
respectively, no part of which is within an area designated as a standard metropolitan statistical area by the Office of
Management and Budget; (B) any area or community, respectively, that is—(i) within an area designated as a
metropolitan statistical area or considered as part of a metropolitan statistical area; and (ii) located in a rural census
tract; or (C) any federally recognized Indian tribe.”
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Additional Information:
 JMHCP Solicitation
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17114
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Administered Grant Programs
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of DOJ
responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local,
territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. The
COPS Office awards grants to hire community policing professionals, develop and test innovative
policing strategies, and provide training and technical assistance to community members, local
government leaders, and al levels of law enforcement. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested
more than $14 bil ion to help advance community policing.6
COPS Hiring Program (CHP)
This competitive grant program supports hiring new officers, rehiring officers, or retaining
officers who are scheduled to be laid off due to budget reductions. The program covers 75% of
approved salaries and benefits, not to exceed $125,000 in the three-year grant period. According
to COPS, past priority was given to applications focused on violent crime, homeland security, or
school-based policing.
Eligibility: states, U.S. territories, local governments, and federal y recognized tribal
governments
Match Requirement: Funds require a 25% local cash match.
Additional Information:
 CHP website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp
 FY2020 Cops Hiring Fact Sheet
https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/chp/Post_Award_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program
This competitive grant program provides funds to support investigations of il icit activities related
to the distribution of heroin, unlawful distribution of prescription opioids, and opioid trafficking.
Eligibility: State law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional task forces in states with high
per capita rates of primary treatment admissions may apply. Applicants must have primary
authority over state seizures of heroin and other opioids.7

6 See DOJ, COPS, “About the COPS Office,” accessed February 5, 2021, at https://cops.usdoj.gov/aboutcops.
7 Primary law enforcement authority is defined as “the first responder to calls for service for all types o f criminal
incidents within its jurisdiction. Agencies are not considered to have primary law enforcement authority if they only
respond to or investigate specific type(s) of crime(s); respond to or investigate crimes within a correctional institution;
serve warrants; provide courthouse security; transport prisoners; and/or have cases referred to them for investigation or
investigational support .” See DOJ, COPS, 2020 COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force Program Application Guide,
March 2020, p. 88, at https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/ahtf/App_Guide.pdf.
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link to page 9 Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 AHTF website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf
COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP)
This competitive grant program funds investigations of il egal activities related to
methamphetamine.
Eligibility: law enforcement agencies with primary authority over state seizures of
methamphetamine8 and high seizure rates of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine,
laboratories, and dump seizures
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 CAMP website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp
Community Policing Development (CPD) Program
This competitive grant program helps law enforcement agencies implement community policing
strategies. Programs have focused on developing knowledge of community policing; increasing
the number of law enforcement agencies using community policing practices; using community-
based policing techniques; and increasing awareness of effective community policing strategies.
Eligibility: governmental agencies, federal y recognized Indian tribes, for-profit and nonprofit
institutions, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 CPD website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/cpd
Community Policing Development Microgrants Program
This competitive grant program helps develop the capacity of law enforcement to implement
community policing strategies. The program focuses on efforts to advance crime fighting,
community engagement, problem solving, or organizational changes to support community
policing in one or more of the following areas: hate crimes; human trafficking; rural law
enforcement challenges; officer safety and wellness; recruitment, hiring, and retention; school
safety; staffing and allocation studies; victim-centered approaches; violent crime; and youth
engagement.
Eligibility: state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies
Match Requirement: none

8 See footnote 7 for more on primary law enforcement authority. See DOJ, COPS, 2020 COPS Anti-Methamphetamine
Program Application Guide, March 2020, p. 89, at https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/camp/App_Guide.pdf.
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Additional Information:
 CPD Microgrants website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/cpdmicrogrants
Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA)
Program
This competitive grant program funds efforts to improve the delivery of and access to mental
health and wel ness services for law enforcement. Areas of focus have included the
implementation of peer support programs, peer support programs for smal and rural departments,
and program coordinator assistance.
Eligibility: governmental agencies, federal y recognized Indian tribes, for-profit and nonprofit
organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 LEMHWA website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/lemhwa
 CRS Report R46555, Federal Efforts to Address the Mental Health of First
Responders: Resources and Issues for Congress
Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) Program
This competitive grant program funds activities to increase training for law enforcement and
other first responders who respond to active shooters and other violent threats. COPS’s FY2020
goal for this program was to train at least 20,000 first responders through scenario-based and
multidisciplinary training.
Eligibility: governmental agencies, federal y recognized Indian tribes, for-profit and nonprofit
organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 PASS website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/pass
School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)
This competitive grant program provides funding to improve security at schools and on school
grounds. Recent areas of focus have included security improvements, such as metal detectors,
lighting, locks, and other deterrent measures; training for law enforcement officers to prevent
student violence; and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement.
Eligibility: law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, and federal y recognized
Indian tribes
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

 SVPP website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp
Tribal Resources Grant Program-Technical Assistance (TRGP-TA)
This competitive grant program funds efforts to support tribal law enforcement agencies through
community policing-related training and technical assistance. Focus areas have included
developing community policing efforts relating to cold cases, missing or murdered indigenous
persons, and the development of law enforcement recruitment strategies in Alaska.
Eligibility: governmental agencies, federal y recognized Indian tribes, for-profit and nonprofit
institutions, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations
Match Requirement: none
Additional Information:
 TRGP-TA website
https://cops.usdoj.gov/trgp-ta
 CRS In Focus IF10922, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program
Additional Department of Justice Resources
DOJ has several resources designed to provide assistance to grant seekers. The following
resources address frequently asked questions regarding grants and the application process.
 DOJ Program Plan Initiative provides information on DOJ grant solicitations.
Searches can be limited to BJA components, fiscal year, expected release date,
applicant eligibility, and subject matter categories.
https://justicegrants.usdoj.gov/program-plan-initiative
 Opportunity and Awards provides a list of currently open OJP grant
opportunities, links to solicitations, and application information.
https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
 Grants 101 provides information on types of grants, the grant cycle, and
assistance through the application process.
https://www.ojp.gov/funding/grants101/overview-ojp-grants-and-funding
 Applicant Resources assists organizations by providing grant overviews, project
abstract templates, forms, frequently asked questions, and other information.
https://www.ojp.gov/funding/apply/overview
 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation al ows federal y recognized tribes
and tribal consortia to apply for most of DOJ’s tribe-specific grants with a single
application. The site also provides an online guide to assist tribes with the
application process.
https://www.justice.gov/tribal/grants
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Federal Support for Law Enforcement: Selected Department of Justice Programs

Author Information

Karma Ester

Senior Research Librarian

Disclaimer
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