The Department of Justice has announced $2.2 million in grant funding for law enforcement agencies and stakeholders through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants Program.
COPS Office Director Phil Keith announced 29 awards with award amounts ranging from $15,090 to $100,000.
In the District of New Jersey, the state Department of Law and Public Safety is receiving a $34,350 grant for its Officer Safety and Wellness Program and Howell Township is receiving a $93,357 grant for its Youth Engagement Program.
“These funds will provide additional resources for the development of policing strategies that will improve the way law enforcement interacts with the people they are sworn to protect,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “This comes at a crucial time, as we work to refine and enhance community policing strategies.”
“The CPD Microgrants Program is a critical resource to advance innovative community policing projects across the country,” Director Keith said. “These strategic investments from the COPS Office pay huge dividends to state and local law enforcement agencies and the communities that they serve.”
CPD Microgrants Program funds are used to develop the capacity of local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies to implement community policing strategies.
Applicants were invited to propose demonstration or pilot projects to be implemented in their agency that offer creative ideas to advance crime-fighting, community engagement, problem-solving, or organizational changes to support community policing in one of the following areas:
• Human Trafficking
• Meeting Rural Law Enforcement Challenges
• Officer Safety and Wellness
• Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention
• School Safety
• Staffing and Allocation Studies
• Victim-Centered Approaches
• Violent Crime
• Youth Engagement
Funding through this program is available for the first time since 2018, following the successful removal of a nationwide injunction.
These awards are being announced at a critical time for the country when community policing strategies are very much needed to improve police and community relations.
The complete list of awards can be found [**HERE**](https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/cpdmicrogrants/Award_List.pdf.)
To learn more about CPD Microgrants, please visit [this link](https://cops.usdoj.gov/cpdmicrogrants.)
For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit [this link](https://cops.usdoj.gov/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery)