Police Agency Investigation Improvement Act of 2015

To provide an increased Federal capability for civil investigations and litigation, regarding alleged police, prosecutorial, or judicial misconduct, under section 210401 the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Police Agency Investigation Improvement Act of 2015 2. Increased Federal capability for civil investigations and litigation, regarding alleged police, prosecutorial, or judicial misconduct, under section 210401 the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14141 (c) Increased capability for civil investigations and litigation regarding alleged police, prosecutorial, or judicial misconduct (1) Office of Police Agency Investigations For the purpose of investigations and litigation under this section regarding alleged police, prosecutorial, or judicial misconduct, the Attorney General shall create within the Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice an Office of Police Agency Investigations (2) Authorization of appropriations For fiscal year 2016 and each of the succeeding 4 fiscal years, there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for investigations and litigation under this section regarding alleged police, prosecutorial, or judicial misconduct. . 3. Use of COPS funds and availability of additional funds to address police, prosecutorial, and judicial misconduct (a) Use of funds Section 1701(b) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b) (1) in paragraph (16), by striking and (2) by redesignating paragraph (17) as paragraph (18); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (16) the following: (17) to comply with a judgment or a consent decree to which the recipient of the grant under this section is subject pursuant to an action brought by the Attorney General under section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14141 . (b) Availability of additional funds Section 1701 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b) (l) Availability of additional funds To address police, prosecutorial, and judicial misconduct (1) Authorization A recipient of a grant under this section that is subject to a judgment or a consent decree pursuant to an action brought by the Attorney General under section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14141 (2) Use of funds Any amount received under this subsection shall be used to comply with such judgment or consent decree. (3) Amount of funds A grant of additional funds made under this subsection shall be in an amount that is equal to not more than 50 percent of the amount of the grant that the recipient otherwise receives under this section. (4) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out this subsection. .

Summary: Police Agency Investigation Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to create within the Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Civil Rights Division an Office of Police Agency Investigations to investigate alleged patterns or practices of police conduct that violate constitutional rights. Additionally, it amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the allowable use of grant funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to include complying with a judgment or consent decree pursuant to a pattern-or-practice investigation. DOJ may award additional grants to COPS grant recipients to comply with such judgments or consent decrees.