S. 1316: Strong Communities Act of 2025

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 proposes to amend the existing law regarding law enforcement funding to enhance community policing efforts. The main points of the bill are as follows:

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to create a program under the existing COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) initiative that provides financial support for local law enforcement recruits to attend law enforcement training programs at accredited institutions. In return for receiving this support, recruits agree to serve as law enforcement officers in their local communities.

COPS Strong Communities Program

The bill introduces the "COPS Strong Communities Program," which allows the Attorney General to make competitive grants available to local law enforcement agencies. These grants can be used for:

• Covering the costs of training programs for recruits and current officers at eligible educational institutions.

Definitions

Key definitions include:

• Eligible Entity: This refers to either an accredited institution of higher education that partners with a local law enforcement agency to provide training or a local law enforcement agency itself that offers training programs.
• Local Law Enforcement Agency: Defined as a governmental body authorized to prevent, detect, investigate, or prosecute criminal law violations.

Grant Eligibility

To qualify for a grant, officers or recruits must meet the following criteria:

• Serve a minimum of four years as a full-time officer within an eight-year timeframe after completing the training.
• Complete their service in a local law enforcement agency located within:
• 7 miles of their residence if they have lived there for at least five years, or
• 20 miles of their residence in counties with fewer than 150,000 residents.
• Provide proof of employment from the agency where they work.

Repayment Clause

If a recruit fails to fulfill their service obligation, they must repay the benefits received for their training to the local law enforcement agency. The Attorney General will set regulations regarding circumstances where repayment may be excused.

Transparency and Reporting

The bill mandates that the Attorney General submit annual reports detailing:

• The number and locations of grant recipients.
• The anticipated number of officers and recruits that will attend training programs using the grant funds.
• The number of recruits who completed training and their subsequent employment status with the recipient agencies.

Implementation Timeline

The provisions of the Strong Communities Act would begin with the fiscal year 2025, allowing local law enforcement agencies to start applying for grants and funding for recruits.

Relevant Companies

None found.