School Resource Officer Act of 2022

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require a certain percentage of COPS grant funds to be used for the salaries and benefits of school resource officers, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the School Resource Officer Act of 2022 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) a school resource officer program provides a safe learning environment in our Nation’s schools, provides valuable resources to school staff members, and fosters positive relationships between youth and law enforcement; (2) school resource officers are educators, informal counselors and mentors, and law enforcement officers; (3) local agencies need the resources and flexibility to establish school resource officer programs that will encourage partnerships between schools and local law enforcement agencies to develop innovative ways to make schools safe; and (4) Federal grants for school resource officer salaries are intended to be a starting point for continued local action and should not divert current designated funding. 3. Funding for COPS in schools (a) Authorization of appropriations Section 1001(a)(11)(A) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10261(a)(11)(A) , and $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2026 (b) Federal share Section 1701(g) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10381(g) In relation to a grant for a period exceeding 1 year for hiring or rehiring career law enforcement officers, the Federal share shall decrease from year to year for up to 5 years, looking toward the continuation of the increased hiring level using State or local sources of funding following the conclusion of Federal support, as provided in an approved plan pursuant to section 1702(c)(8). (c) Repeal termination of grants for hiring officers (1) In general Section 1701(i) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10381(i) (2) Conforming amendment Section 1701(j)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10381(j)(1) subsection (i) and (d) School resource officer funding Section 1704 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 34 U.S.C. 10384 (1) in subsection (c), by striking $75,000 $125,000 (2) by adding at the end the following: (d) School resource officers set aside Not less than 30 percent of the amount made available for hiring and rehiring additional career law enforcement officers shall be made available for the salaries and benefits of the school resource officers hired pursuant to a partnership described in section 1701(b)(12). .

Summary: School Resource Officer Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program and otherwise revises the program. Specifically, the bill revises the COPS program by restoring authority to make COPS grants for hiring and rehiring additional career law enforcement officers, allowing the federal cost share to be 75% for the duration of such grants, and specifying that at least 30% of the amount made available for such grants must be used for school resource officers.