A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to enhance the COPS ON THE BEAT grant program, and for other purposes.

Summary: COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT or COPS program). Revises grant purposes to provide for: (1) the hiring or training of law enforcement officers for intelligence, antiterror, and homeland security duties; (2) the hiring of school resource officers; (3) school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems facing elementary and secondary schools; (4) innovative programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug (including methamphetamine) manufacturing, distribution, and use; and (5) enhanced community policing and crime prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs.

Allows COPS program grants to be used to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers for community-oriented policing, particularly in communities adversely affected by a recent military base closing.

Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to: (1) assign community prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and address counterterrorism problems, specific violent crime problems, and localized violent and other crime problems; and (2) develop new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention.

Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under the COPS program.

Requires grant recipients to retain additional law enforcement officers for a 12-month period after the end of the grant period.

Authorizes the Attorney General to renew COPS program grants if grant recipients can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application.

Increases: (1) the authorization of appropriation for the COPS program; and (2) the amount of funds available for technical assistance from 3 to 5%. Specifies amounts to be made available for hiring officers and prosecutors and for technology grants.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``COPS Improvements Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. COPS GRANT IMPROVEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1701 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Grant Authorization.--The Attorney General shall carry out 
grant programs under which the Attorney General makes grants to States, 
units of local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and 
private entities, multi-jurisdictional or regional consortia, and 
individuals for the purposes described in subsections (b), (c), (d), 
and (e).'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking the subsection heading text and 
                inserting ``Community Policing and Crime Prevention 
                Grants'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``, to increase 
                the number of officers deployed in community-oriented 
                policing'';
                    (C) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``or train'' 
                after ``pay for'';
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) award grants to hire school resource officers and to 
        establish school-based partnerships between local law 
        enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat crime, 
        gangs, drug activities, and other problems in and around 
        elementary and secondary schools;'';
                    (E) by striking paragraph (9);
                    (F) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (12) 
                as paragraphs (9) through (11), respectively;
                    (G) by striking paragraph (13);
                    (H) by redesignating paragraphs (14) through (17) 
                as paragraphs (12) through (15), respectively;
                    (I) in paragraph (14), as so redesignated, by 
                striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (J) in paragraph (15), as so redesignated, by 
                striking the period at the end and inserting a 
                semicolon; and
                    (K) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) establish and implement innovative programs to 
        reduce and prevent illegal drug manufacturing, distribution, 
        and use, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of 
        methamphetamine; and
            ``(17) award enhancing community policing and crime 
        prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs, as 
        warranted.'';
            (3) by striking subsection (c);
            (4) by striking subsections (h) and (i);
            (5) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) as 
        subsections (f) through (i), respectively;
            (6) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Troops-to-Cops Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--Grants made under subsection (a) may be 
        used to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as 
        career law enforcement officers for deployment in community-
        oriented policing, particularly in communities that are 
        adversely affected by a recent military base closing.
            ``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, `former member of 
        the Armed Forces' means a member of the Armed Forces of the 
        United States who is involuntarily separated from the Armed 
        Forces within the meaning of section 1141 of title 10, United 
        States Code.
    ``(d) Community Prosecutors Program.--The Attorney General may make 
grants under subsection (a) to pay for additional community prosecuting 
programs, including programs that assign prosecutors to--
            ``(1) handle cases from specific geographic areas; and
            ``(2) address counter-terrorism problems, specific violent 
        crime problems (including intensive illegal gang, gun, and drug 
        enforcement and quality of life initiatives), and localized 
        violent and other crime problems based on needs identified by 
        local law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and 
        others.
    ``(e) Technology Grants.--The Attorney General may make grants 
under subsection (a) to develop and use new technologies (including 
interoperable communications technologies, modernized criminal record 
technology, and forensic technology) to assist State and local law 
enforcement agencies in reorienting the emphasis of their activities 
from reacting to crime to preventing crime and to train law enforcement 
officers to use such technologies.'';
            (7) in subsection (f), as so redesignated--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``to States, 
                units of local government, Indian tribal governments, 
                and to other public and private entities,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``define for 
                State and local governments, and other public and 
                private entities,'' and inserting ``establish'';
                    (C) in the first sentence of paragraph (3), by 
                inserting ``(including regional community policing 
                institutes)'' after ``training centers or facilities''; 
                and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Exclusivity.--The Office of Community Oriented 
        Policing Services shall be the exclusive component of the 
        Department of Justice to perform the functions and activities 
        specified in this paragraph.'';
            (8) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``may utilize any component'', and all that follows and 
        inserting ``shall use the Office of Community Oriented Policing 
        Services of the Department of Justice in carrying out this 
        part.'';
            (9) in subsection (h), as so redesignated--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (a)'' the first place 
                that term appears and inserting ``paragraphs (1) and 
                (2) of subsection (b)''; and
                    (B) by striking ``in each fiscal year pursuant to 
                subsection (a)'' and inserting ``in each fiscal year 
                for purposes described in paragraph (1) and (2) of 
                subsection (b)'';
            (10) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by striking the 
        second sentence; and
            (11) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) Retention of Additional Officer Positions.--For any grant 
under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) for hiring or rehiring 
career law enforcement officers, a grant recipient shall retain each 
additional law enforcement officer position created under that grant 
for not less than 12 months after the end of the period of that grant, 
unless the Attorney General waives, wholly or in part, the retention 
requirement of a program, project, or activity.''.
    (b) Applications.--Section 1702 of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-1) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                inserting ``, unless waived by the Attorney General'' 
                after ``under this part shall'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (8); and
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (11) as 
                paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; and
            (2) by striking subsection (d).
    (c) Renewal of Grants.--Section 1703 of the Omnibus Crime Control 
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-2) is amended to read as 
follows:

``SEC. 1703. RENEWAL OF GRANTS.

    ``(a) In General.--A grant made under this part may be renewed, 
without limitations on the duration of such renewal, to provide 
additional funds, if the Attorney General determines that the funds 
made available to the recipient were used in a manner required under an 
approved application and if the recipient can demonstrate significant 
progress in achieving the objectives of the initial application.
    ``(b) No Cost Extensions.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the 
Attorney General may extend a grant period, without limitations as to 
the duration of such extension, to provide additional time to complete 
the objectives of the initial grant award.''.
    (d) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Section 1704 of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-3) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``that would, in the 
        absence of Federal funds received under this part, be made 
        available from State or local sources'' and inserting ``that 
        the Attorney General determines would, in the absence of 
        Federal funds received under this part, be made available for 
        the purpose of the grant under this part from State or local 
        sources''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (c).
    (e) Enforcement Actions.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1706 of the Omnibus Crime Control 
        and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-5) is amended--
                    (A) in the section heading, by striking 
                ``revocation or suspension of funding'' and inserting 
                ``enforcement actions''; and
                    (B) by striking ``revoke or suspend'' and all that 
                follows and inserting ``take any enforcement action 
                available to the Department of Justice.''.
            (2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of 
        contents of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
        Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711) is amended by striking the 
        item relating to section 1706 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 1706. Enforcement actions.''.
    (f) Definitions.--Section 1709(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd-8(1)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``who is a sworn law enforcement officer'' 
        after ``permanent basis''; and
            (2) by inserting ``, including officers for the Amtrak 
        Police Department'' before the period at the end.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1001(11) of the 
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3793(11)) 
is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``1,047,119,000'' and 
        inserting ``1,150,000,000''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``3 
                percent'' and inserting ``5 percent''; and
                    (B) by striking the second sentence and inserting 
                the following: ``Of the funds available for grants 
                under part Q, not less than $600,000,000 shall be used 
                for grants for the purposes specified in section 
                1701(b), not more than $200,000,000 shall be used for 
                grants under section 1701(d), and not more than 
                $350,000,000 shall be used for grants under section 
                1701(e).''.
    (h) Purposes.--Section 10002 of the Public Safety Partnership and 
Community Policing Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``development'' and 
        inserting ``use''; and
            (2) in the matter following paragraph (4), by striking 
        ``for a period of 6 years''.
    (i) COPS Program Improvements.--
            (1) In general.--Section 109(b) of the Omnibus Crime 
        Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3712h(b)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1);
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and
                    (C) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by 
                inserting ``, except for the program under part Q of 
                this title'' before the period.
            (2) Law enforcement computer systems.--Section 107 of the 
        Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
        3712f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Exception.--This section shall not apply to any grant made 
under part Q of this title.''.