Third Congressional District Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, has signed on to the bipartisan Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act.
The legislation, led by Reps. Nick LaLota, R-New York, and Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, would reauthorize a grant program to hire new officers and support efforts to improve policing and training. The legislation would reauthorize the program for 10 years and expand the access for rural communities to the grants.
The bill would also allow grant funding to go toward increased wages for officers in low-income communities and create a COPS office within the U.S. Department of Justice. The U.S. Government Accountability Office would also be required to file a report midway through the program and at the end with the following information:
• How representative participating law enforcement agencies are of their communities
• The percentage of law enforcement that lives in the jurisdiction served
• The average pay compared to the cost of living in jurisdictions
• Legislative and administrative recommendations for improving data
Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“When I’ve met with police chiefs and sheriffs across Southwest Washington, I’ve heard about the challenges they’re facing with officer training times, recruitment, and retention. Oftentimes, departments in rural and low-income communities are most impacted, yet it can be more difficult for them to access critical federal grant funding,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement. “This bipartisan legislation will be an important step toward leveling the playing field and ensuring local law enforcement have the resources they need to keep our communities safe and feel supported in their difficult jobs.”
The legislation is supported by the Major County Sheriffs Association, the New York Police Department’s Sergeants Benevolent Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National Association of Police Organizations and the National Sheriffs Association.
“The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) commends Representatives LaLota and Spanberger for reintroducing the COPS on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act, which will greatly support our efforts to recruit, train, and retain qualified officers to keep our communities safe,” said Megan Noland, executive director of the Major County Sheriffs of America, in a statement. “We also appreciate this legislation recognizes the importance of authorizing the COPS Office, which has always been an incredible partner, providing necessary resources to support law enforcement agencies across the nation. We stand ready to support all efforts to advance this bipartisan legislation to build safe communities and partnerships with the citizens we serve.”
