Title 28—Judicial Administration--Volume 1
PART 92—OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES (COPS)
§ 92.1   Scope.
This subpart sets forth guidance on the eligibility for and selection to participate in the Police Corps. The Police Corps offers scholarships and educational expense reimbursements to individuals who agree to serve as a State or local police officer or sheriff's deputy for four years. In addition, Police Corps participants receive sixteen weeks of training in basic law enforcement, including vigorous physical and mental training to teach self-discipline and organizational loyalty and to impart knowledge and understanding of legal processes and law enforcement.
§ 92.2   Am I eligible to apply to participate in the Police Corps?
(a) You should consider applying to the Police Corps if you are seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree, and are willing to commit to four years of service as a member of a State or local police force. To be eligible to participate in a State Police Corps program, an individual also must:
(1) Be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States as of the date of application;
(2) Meet the requirements for admission as a trainee of the State or local police force to which the participant will be assigned if selected, including achievement of satisfactory scores on any applicable examination, except that failure to meet the age requirement for a trainee of the State or local police force shall not disqualify the applicant if the applicant will be of sufficient age upon completing an undergraduate course of study;
(3) Possess the necessary mental and physical characteristics to discharge effectively the duties of a law enforcement officer;
(4) Be of good character and demonstrate sincere motivation and dedication to law enforcement and public service;
(5) In the case of an undergraduate, agree in writing that the participant will complete an educational course of study leading to the award of a baccalaureate degree and will then accept an appointment and complete four years of service as an officer in the State police or in a local police department within the State;
(6) In the case of a participant desiring to undertake or continue graduate study, agree in writing that the participant will accept an appointment and complete 4 years of service as an officer in the State police or in a local police department within the State before undertaking or continuing graduate study;
(7) Contract, with the consent of the participant's parent or guardian if the participant is a minor, to serve four years as an officer in the State police or in a local police department, if an appointment is offered; and
(8) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section, be without previous law enforcement experience.
(i) Until September 13, 1999, up to ten percent of the applicants accepted into the State Police Corps program may be persons who have had some law enforcement experience and/or have demonstrated special leadership potential and dedication to law enforcement.
(b) According to the Debt Collection Procedures Act (Pub. L. 101-647 as amended), 28 U.S.C. 3201, persons who have incurred a court judgment in favor of the United States creating a lien against their property arising from a civil or criminal proceeding regarding a debt are precluded from receiving Federal funds (including Police Corps funds) until the judgment lien has been paid in full or otherwise satisfied.
(c) Educational assistance under the Police Corps Act for any course of study also is available to a dependent child of a law enforcement officer:
(1) Who is a member of a State or local police force or is a Federal criminal investigator or uniformed police officer;
(2) Who is not a participant in the Police Corps program, but
(3) Who serves in a State for which the Director has approved a Police Corps plan, and
(4) Who is killed in the course of performing policing duties.
(i) For purposes of this assistance, a dependent child means a natural or adopted child or stepchild of a law enforcement officer who at the time of the officer's death was no more than 21 years old or, if older than 21 years, was in fact dependent on the child's parents for at least one-half of the child's support (excluding educational expenses), as determined by the Director based on a review of any available documentation.
(ii) The educational assistance available under this subsection is subject to the same dollar limitations set forth in § 92.4, but carries no police service obligation, repayment contingencies, or requirement for approval of a course of study.
§ 92.3   How and when should I apply to participate in the Police Corps?
(a) The application and selection process occurs at the State level. An applicant may apply to participate in more than one State Police Corps program, provided that the applicant is prepared to commit to serve as a law enforcement officer in the State to which application is made. Application forms should be obtained from the State Police Corps agencies.
(b) Applicants may seek admission to the Police Corps either before commencement of or during the applicant's course of undergraduate or graduate study. However, acceptance into the Police Corps will be conditioned on matriculation in or acceptance for admission at a four-year institution of higher education. Specific application deadlines will be established by State Police Corps agencies.
§ 92.4   How will participants be selected from applicants?
(a) Applicants should be selected competitively based upon selection criteria developed by the State Police Corps agency pursuant to this subsection. Appropriate application materials should be developed by the State Police Corps agency to obtain the information reasonably needed to make selection and assignment decisions and to provide required information to the Director.
(b) The State Police Corps agency should develop selection criteria in consultation with local law enforcement officials, representatives of police labor organizations and police management organizations, and other appropriate State and local agencies. Selection criteria should seek to attract highly qualified individuals with backgrounds and characteristics likely to assure effective participation in the Police Corps. Criteria should include consideration of factors bearing on the statutory eligibility requirements set forth in § 92.1, and may include (without limitation) consideration of:
(1) Scholastic record;
(2) Work experience;
(3) Extracurricular and/or community involvement;
(4) Letters of recommendation;
(5) Demonstrated interest in policing as a career.
(c) After selection, the State Police Corps agency will forward to the Director, Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education a list of persons selected for admission to the Police Corps. With respect to each person, the list should set forth:
(1) Name;
(2) Address;
(3) Social security number;
(4) Name and location of law enforcement agency to which the person has been assigned;
(5) Educational institution in which the person is enrolled or has been accepted for admission, and course of study;
(6) Date on which the person is expected to commence his/her service;
(7) Certification that the person has been found to meet the statutory selection criteria at 42 U.S.C. § 14096;
(8) A Police Corps Agreement signed by the applicant; and
(9) An itemization of the educational expenses that the person is eligible to receive through scholarship and/or reimbursement.
(i) With respect to individuals identified to receive educational assistance under § 92.2(c), the list should contain the information in paragraphs (c) (1), (2), (3), (5) and (9) of this section.
(ii) With respect to the list in the aggregate, a summary of the racial and gender distribution of the individuals.
(d) After selection, the State Policy Corps agency should notify applicants of their selection, their agency assignment, and their assignment to a training class. However, admission to the Police Corps is not final until the Police Corps Agreement has been signed both by the applicant and the Director.
§ 92.5   What educational expenses does the Police Corps cover, and how will they be paid?
(a) Educational expenses are paid either in the form of a scholarship or a reimbursement. Scholarships will be paid where Police Corps participants are currently enrolled in an approved course of study in an institution of higher education. Reimbursements will be paid to participants for educational expenses incurred prior to admission to the Police Corps. In certain circumstances, a Police Corps participant may receive a reimbursement for past expenses and a scholarship for current expenses.
(b) Requests for payment of educational expenses by a Police Corps participant should be submitted to the Director through the State Police Corps agency.
(1) Educational expenses are expenses that are directly attributable to a course of education leading to the award of either a baccalaureate or graduate degree, and may include:
(i) Tuition, in an amount billed by the institution of higher education;
(ii) Fees, in an amount billed by the institution of higher education;
(iii) Cost of books required to be purchased pursuant to the curriculum in which the candidate is enrolled;
(iv) Cost of transportation from the candidate's home to school, calculated at actual cost or the current prevailing rate for mileage reimbursement for federal travel;
(v) Cost of room and board;
(vi) Miscellaneous expenses not to exceed $250 per academic semester.
(2) A participant receiving a scholarship may submit payment requests prior to the commencement of each subsequent academic year in which he/she is enrolled in an institution of higher education.
(3) For participants currently enrolled in an institution of higher education, each payment request must be accompanied by:
(i) A certification from the institution that the participant is maintaining satisfactory academic progress;
(ii) A certification by or on behalf of the State or local police force to which the participant will be assigned that the participant's course of study includes appropriate preparation for police service.
(4) The maximum Police Corps payment per participant per academic year, whether in the form of scholarship or reimbursement, is $7,500. In the case of a participant who is pursuing a course of educational study during substantially an entire calendar year, the maximum payment will be $10,000 per such calendar year.
(5) The total of all Police Corps scholarship or reimbursement payments to any one participant shall not exceed $30,000.
(6) Police Corps scholarship payments will be made directly to the institution of higher education that the student is attending. Each institution of higher education receiving a Police Corps scholarship payment shall remit to such student any funds in excess of the costs of tuition, fees, and room and board payable to the institution.
(7) Reimbursements for past expenses will be made directly to the Police Corps participant. One half of the reimbursement will be paid after the participant is sworn in and starts the first year of required service. The remainder will be paid upon successful completion of the first year of required service. The Director may, upon a showing of good cause, advance the date of the first reimbursement payment to an individual participant.
§ 92.6   What colleges or universities can I attend under the Police Corps?
(a) The choice of institution is up to the participant, as long as the institution meets the definition of an “institution of higher deduction.” As defined in 20 U.S.C. 1141(a), an “institution of higher education” means an educational institution in any State which:
(1) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate,
(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education,
(3) Provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a two-year program which is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree,
(4) Is a public or other nonprofit institution, and
(5) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, or if not so accredited, is an institution that has been granted preaccreditation status by such an agency or association that has been recognized by the Secretary (of Education) for the granting of preaccreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that there is satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time.
(b) Such term also includes any school which provides not less than a one-year program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation and which meets the provisions of paragraphs (a) (1), (2), (4), and (5) of this section. Such term also includes a public or nonprofit educational institution in any State which, in lieu of the requirement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, admits as regular students persons who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the institution is located.
(c) A Police Corps scholarship only may be used to attend a four-year institution of higher education, except that:
(1) A scholarship may be used for graduate and professional study; and
(2) If a participant has enrolled in the Police Corps upon or after transfer to a four-year institution of higher education, the Director may reimburse the participant for prior educational expenses.
§ 92.7   Scope.
(a) The Police Recruitment program offers funds to qualified community organizations to assist in meeting the costs of programs which are designed to recruit and train police applicants from a variety of neighborhoods and localities.
(b) Individual participants encountering problems throughout the police department application process shall receive counseling, tutorials, and other academic assistance as necessary to assist them in the application process of a police department.
(c) Program goals should include increasing the retention in the hiring process for police applicants participating in the program.
(d) Programs funded under the Police Recruitment program will have a one-year grant period, with allowances for two additional years of no-cost extensions.
§ 92.8   Providing recruitment services.
The non-profit community organizations that wish to receive a grant under this program should provide for an overall program design with the objective of recruiting and retaining applicants from a variety of populations to a police department. The recruitment strategies employed may include:
(a) A process for recruiting applicants for employment by a police department. These processes should include working in cooperation with a local law enforcement department to develop selection criteria for the participants. The selection criteria may include, but are not limited to:
(1) Demonstrated interest in policing as a career;
(2) Scholastic record (except that failure to meet the satisfactory academic scores shall not disqualify the applicant since the program is designed to provide tutorial service so to help applicant pass the required examinations);
(3) Background screening;
(4) Work experience;
(5) Letters of recommendation.
(b) The recruitment services must ensure that applicants possess the necessary mental and physical capabilities and emotional characteristics to be an effective law enforcement officer.
§ 92.9   Publicizing the Police Recruitment Program.
Participating organizations should have experience in or an ability to develop procedures to publicize the availability of like programs. These programs should be widely publicized throughout the affected geographic area. The methods for publicizing the Police Recruitment programs may include, but are not limited to:
(a) Sending press releases to community bulletins, college and local newspapers, and television stations, as well as public service announcements to local and college radio stations;
(b) Sending information to and/or making presentations at:
(1) Local community colleges;
(2) Colleges and universities serving populations in the geographic area of the program;
(3) Local nonprofit groups;
(4) Academic counseling departments within public and private nonprofit colleges and universities;
(5) Academic counseling departments within public and private nonprofit high schools;
(6) High school and college student associations;
(7) Local religious groups;
(8) Local social services agencies.
(c) Disseminating press releases and/or translated materials to non-English language newspapers and magazines; and
(d) Maintaining toll-free or other easy-access telephone numbers for obtaining application materials.
§ 92.10   Providing tutorials and other academic assistance programs.
(a) The program designed by the community organization must include academic counseling, tutorials and other academic assistance programs to enable individuals to meet police force academic requirements, pass entrance examinations, and meet other requirements. The program should include:
(1) Processes for evaluating educational assistance needs of young adults and adults. These processes should include, but are not limited to: screening procedures and testing batteries to assess individual needs;
(2) Tutorial programs designed to meet the specific and varied academic needs of individual applicants; and
(3) Academic and guidance counseling for adults. Specific counseling programs must be designed for individuals who encounter problems with passing the entrance examinations, and may include specialized counseling in self discipline, study habits, taking written and oral exams, and physical fitness.
(b) These tutorial and academic assistance programs must be provided by individuals or groups that have experience in developing and providing tutorial programs for young adults and adults.
(c) The program provider must also have experience in providing counseling for participants who encounter other problems with the police department application process.
§ 92.11   Content of the recruitment and retention programs.
Applicants must describe in detail the intended program strategies for providing academic and guidance counseling activities for members of the community, as described in §§ 92.2 through 92.4. A review of mandatory topics to be addressed in a detailed concept paper/application to be provided by all applicants follows.
(a) Applicants must address program strategies for responding to program and applicant needs throughout the recruitment process. The process should be based on an examination and understanding of the needs of the population in meeting the qualification requirements of the police department. The project strategy should subsequently be tailored based on the understanding of the current and anticipated problems in meeting police department requirements.
(b) Applicants must describe the manner in which academic services and tutorials, and guidance counseling programs that would assist applicants to pass the entrance examination and related tests will be provided. This should also include the anticipated length of the academic and guidance counseling programs, qualifications of the counselors, and the content of the counseling programs.
(c) Applicants must provide retention services to assist in keeping individuals in the application process of a police department. These may include:
(1) Counseling programs aimed at meeting the needs of potential police applicants before they are eligible to apply for a sworn position;
(2) Pre-police employment programs, such as junior police cadet programs, reserve programs, and police volunteer activities and
(3) Mentoring activities utilizing sworn officers.
(d) Applicants must estimate the number of police applicants to be served by the prospective program, along with an estimation of the total number of potential or actual applicants who will be successfully hired and eventually deployed as police officers.
§ 92.12   Program funding length.
Funding for these programs will be for one year only, but will allow for two additional years of no-cost extension.
§ 92.13   Program eligibility.
(a) Eligible organizations for the Police Recruitment program grant are certified nonprofit organizations that have training and/or experience in:
(1) Working with a police department and with teachers, counselors, and similar personnel;
(2) Providing services to the community in which the organization is located;
(3) Developing and managing services and techniques to recruit and train individuals, and in assisting such individuals in meeting requisite standards and provisions;
(4) Developing and managing services and techniques to assist in the retention of applicants to like programs; and
(5) Developing other programs that contribute to the community.
(b) A program is qualified to receive a grant if:
(1) The overall design of the program is to recruit and retain applicants to a police department;
(2) The program provides recruiting services that include tutorial programs to enable individuals to meet police force academic requirements and to pass entrance examinations;
(3) The program provides counseling to applicants to police departments who may encounter problems throughout the application process; and
(4) The program provides retention services to assist in retaining individuals to stay in the application process of the police department.
(c) To qualify for funding under the Police Recruitment program, the intended activities must support the recruitment services, tutorial and other academic assistance programs, and retention services for individuals. The qualified non-profit organization must submit an application which identifies the law enforcement department with which it will work and includes documentation showing:
(1) The need for the grant;
(2) The intended use of the funds;
(3) Expected results from the use of grant funds;
(4) Demographic characteristics of the population to be served, including age, disability, race, ethnicity, and languages used;
(5) Status as a non-profit organization; and
(6) Contains satisfactory assurances that the program for which the grant is made will meet the applicable requirements of the program guidelines prescribed in this document.