I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6419 

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to 

provide that COPS grant funds may be used to hire and train new, 

additional career law enforcement officers who are residents of the communities they serve, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 1, 2016 

Mr. LEWIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 

Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may 

be used to hire and train new, additional career law 

enforcement officers who are residents of the communities they serve, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Law Enforcement In5 clusion Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) According to the Equal Employment Oppor2 tunity Commission (EEOC) and the Census Bureau, 

3 which together provide detail on the racial composi4 tion of government workers in large American cities, 

5 in about two-thirds of the United States cities with 

6 the largest police forces, the majority of police offi7 cers commute to work from outside the city in which 

8 they work. 

9 (2) When officers live in the cities in which they 

10 work, it may reduce the carbon footprint by employ11 ees in their journey to work, foster more employee 

12 concern in the affairs of their city, ensure manpower 

13 will be available in case of emergencies, generate ad14 ditional tax revenue for the city, and cut down on 

15 absenteeism and tardiness. 

16 (3) According to the President’s Task Force on 

17 21st Century Policing, recommendation 1.8 reads 

18 ‘‘law enforcement agencies should strive to create a 

19 workforce that contains a broad range of diversity 

20 including race, gender, language, life experience, and 

21 cultural background to improve understanding and 

22 effectiveness in dealing with all communities.’’. 

23 (4) Additionally, the Fairness and Effectiveness 

24 in Policing: The Evidence states ‘‘A critical factor in 

25 managing bias is seeking candidates who are likely 


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1 to police in an unbiased manner. Since people are 

2 less likely to have biases against groups with which 

3 they have had positive experiences, police depart4 ments should seek candidates who have had positive 

5 interactions with people of various cultures and 

6 backgrounds.’’. 

7 SEC. 3. USE OF COPS GRANT FUNDS TO HIRE LAW EN8 FORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO ARE RESIDENTS 

9 OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. 

10 Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and 

11 Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b)) is amend12 ed— 

13 (1) in paragraph (17), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

14 end; 

15 (2) by redesignating paragraph (18) as para16 graph (20); 

17 (3) in paragraph (20), as so redesignated, by 

18 striking ‘‘(17)’’ and inserting ‘‘(19)’’; and 

19 (4) by inserting after paragraph (17) the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘(18) to recruit, hire, promote, retain, develop, 

22 and train new, additional career law enforcement of23 ficers who are residents of the communities they 

24 serve; 


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1 ‘‘(19) to develop and publicly report strategies 

2 and timelines to recruit, hire, promote, retain, de3 velop, and train a diverse and inclusive law enforce4 ment workforce, consistent with merit system prin5 ciples and applicable law; and’’. 

Æ 


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