BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE

PROGRAMS SUPPORTING 

LAWENFORCEMENT

Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest 

Partnership (BVP) Program

Through the BVP Program, government units can apply 

for funding to purchase bullet-resistant body armor for 

their sworn law enforcement officers. A jurisdiction’s 

chief executive is required to provide general oversight 

and approval of key transactions between the BVP 

Program and the jurisdiction’s participating law 

enforcement agencies. BVP recipients are reimbursed up 

to 50 percent of the cost of each unit of eligible body 

armor purchased.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/patrickleahy- bulletproof-vest-partnership-bvpprogram/overview

Program Lead: Joseph Husted – 202-353-

4411 (joseph.husted@usdoj.gov)

Policy Lead: David Lewis – 202-616-

7829 (david.p.lewis@usdoj.gov)

Comprehensive Opioid,Stimulant,and 

Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP)

COSSAP focuses on combating the opioid epidemic and 

reflects the Attorney General’s commitment to reduce 

the number of fatal overdoses and protect the American 

people. COSSAP includes effective policy strategies

that support our nation’s first responders and strengthen 

their partnerships with agencies that serve crime victims; 

encourage and support comprehensive cross-system 

planning and collaboration; and enhance public safety, 

behavioral health, and public health information-sharing 

partnerships.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/cossap/overview

Policy Lead: Timothy Jeffries – 202-616-7385 

(timothy.jeffries@usdoj.gov)

Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Policy and 

Implementation Program

BJA’s BWC Policy and Implementation Program for law 

enforcement agencies supports the purchase of BWCs 

for pilot programs, full implementations, or expansion 

of existing programs. Grantees must commit to broader

program goals, including the development of sound and 

comprehensive BWC policies, effective management

of digital media evidence, tracking the impact of BWC 

deployment, and training of officers on BWC policy and 

related legal and regulatory concerns.

Learn More: https://www.bja.gov/bwc/

Policy Lead: David Lewis – 202-616-7829 

(david.p.lewis@usdoj.gov) 

Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing 

(STOP) School Violence Program

BJA’s STOP School Violence Program is designed to 

improve school security by providing students and 

teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond 

quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence. It supports 

efforts by public agencies, federally recognized Indian 

tribes, and nonprofit entities to train school personnel 

and educate students on preventing student violence. 

Additionally, the program supports efforts to develop and 

implement threat assessment and/or crisis intervention 

teams, as well as technology solutions such as anonymous 

reporting systems for threats of school violence.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/stop-schoolviolence-program/overview

Policy Lead: David Adams – 202-514-5309 

(david.adams@usdoj.gov)

U.S. Department of Justice • Office of Justice Programs • Bureau of Justice Assistance March 2020

www.bja.ojp.gov
About BJA

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) helps to make 

American communities safer by strengthening the nation’s 

criminal justice system. BJA’s grants, training and technical 

assistance, and policy development services provide 

government jurisdictions (state, local, tribal, and territorial) 

and public and private organizations with the cutting 

edge tools and best practices they need to support law 

enforcement, reduce violent and drug-related crime, and 

combat victimization.

To learn more about BJA, visit https://bja.ojp.gov, or follow 

us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DOJBJA) and Twitter 

(@DOJBJA). BJA is part of the Department of Justice’s 

Office of Justice Programs.

The Officer Robert Wilson III Preventing 

Violence Against Law Enforcement 

Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience 

andSurvivability (VALOR)Initiative

The VALOR Initiative is an effort to improve the immediate 

and long-term safety, wellness, and resilience of our 

nation’s law enforcement officers. It delivers innovative,

no-cost training; conducts research; develops and provides 

resources; and establishes partnerships that benefit law 

enforcement officers. The VALOR Initiative is continuously 

evolving to address the various issues, concerns, and 

trends that law enforcement officers face, and it integrates 

the latest research and practices to address all aspects of 

their safety, wellness, and performance.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/valor-initiativepreventing-violence-against-law-enforcement-officers-andensuring-officer/overview

Initiative Lead: Deborah Meader – 202-305-2601 

(deborah.meader@usdoj.gov)

Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) 

Program

The PSOB Program provides death and education benefits 

to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, 

and other first responders. The PSOB Program also 

provides disability benefits to officers catastrophically 

injured in the line of duty.

Learn More: https://www.psob.gov

Officer Safety Lead: Hope Janke, Deputy Director – 

202-307-2858 (hope.d.janke@ojp.usdoj.gov)

National Officer Safety Initiatives (NOSI)

NOSI develops innovative programs to increase officer 

safety based on needs, emerging trends, and concerns 

brought on by the challenges that law enforcement officers 

face every day. NOSI helps prepare law enforcement 

officers to better address not only the emotional and mental 

aspects of police work but also the tactical aspects of the 

profession in order to be safer and healthier, and serve their 

communities and agencies to the best of their abilities.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/national-officersafety-initiatives/overview

Initiative Lead: Deborah Meader – 202-305-2601 

(deborah.meader@usdoj.gov)

StrategiesforPolicingInnovation(SPI) 

Program

The SPI Program helps law enforcement agencies identify 

and define their most pressing crime problems and 

institute lasting operational and organizational changes. 

The program funds the testing of promising crime 

prevention, response, and reduction practices and the 

implementation of evidence-based strategies.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/strategiespolicing-innovation-spi/overview

Policy Lead: Kate McNamee – 202-598-5248 

(catherine.mcnamee@usdoj.gov)

National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative 

(SAKI)

SAKI assists law enforcement and prosecutors in 

addressing the challenges associated with unsubmitted 

sexual assault kits (SAKs) and in reducing the numberof 

unsubmitted SAKs in their jurisdictions. Using a victimcentered approach, jurisdictions supported by SAKI 

build their capacities to inventory, test, and track SAKs 

and improve their investigation, prosecution, and victim 

engagement practices.

Learn More: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/sexual-assaultkit-initiative-saki/overview

National Lead: Dr. Angela Williamson – 202-307-5831

(angela.williamson@usdoj.gov)

2 BJA Programs Supporting Law Enforcement