Shield Our Streets Act of 2015

To improve public safety through increased law enforcement presence and enhanced public safety equipment and programs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; Definitions (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Shield Our Streets Act of 2015 (b) Definitions In this Act: (1) Elevated need locality The term elevated need locality (A) has a violent crime rate at or above the national average, as determined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and (B) has, during the most recent 5-year period, had budget reductions. (2) Unit of local government The term unit of local government 42 U.S.C. 3791 2. Shield Police Hiring Grants (a) In general The Attorney General is authorized to carry out a program, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, to award grants to eligible local law enforcement agencies to assist such agencies with hiring and rehiring career law enforcement officers in accordance with this section. (b) Eligible local law enforcement agencies For the purposes of this section, an eligible local law enforcement agency (c) Use of funds Grant funds awarded under this section shall be used by an eligible local law enforcement agency to— (1) hire and train new career law enforcement officers for deployment in the jurisdiction of the agency; or (2) rehire career law enforcement officers who have been laid off as a result of Federal, State, or local budget reductions. (d) Grant period Each grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of 3 years and may be extended or renewed for an additional 2-year period at the discretion of the Attorney General. (e) Technical assistance The Attorney General shall provide technical assistance to eligible local law enforcement agencies during the application process and while such agencies are carrying out grants under this section. (f) No matching requirement An eligible local law enforcement agency receiving a grant under this section shall not be required to provide any portion of the costs, in cash or in-kind, of the activities carried out with such grant from non-Federal funds. (g) Authorization of appropriations In addition to any other funds authorized to be appropriated for hiring and rehiring local law enforcement officers, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2021. 3. Shield Public Safety Enhancement Grants (a) In general The Attorney General is authorized to carry out a program to award grants to eligible organizations to enhance public safety through the activities described in subsection (c) (b) Eligible organizations For the purposes of this section, an eligible organization (1) a unit of local government that has jurisdiction over all or part of an elevated need locality; or (2) a nonprofit organization that operates in one or more elevated need localities. (c) Authorized activities Grant funds awarded under this section shall be used as follows: (1) With respect to an eligible organization described in subsection (b)(1) (A) purchasing public safety equipment; (B) funding public safety programs; (C) making infrastructure improvements for the purpose of enhancing public safety; (D) purchasing and installing street lights and other lights to deter crime; (E) funding activities related to crime labs; and (F) funding public defender programs. (2) With respect to an eligible organization described in subsection (b)(2) subsection (b)(2) (d) Grant period Each grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of one year and may be extended or renewed for an additional period at the discretion of the Attorney General. (e) Technical assistance The Attorney General shall provide technical assistance to eligible organizations during the application process and while such organizations are carrying out grants under this section. (f) No matching requirement An eligible organization receiving a grant under this section shall not be required to provide any portion of the costs, in cash or in-kind, of the activities carried out with such grant from non-Federal funds. (g) Authorization of appropriations In addition to any other funds authorized to be appropriated for public safety enhancement by eligible organizations, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2021.

Summary: Shield Our Streets Act of 2015 Authorizes the Attorney General to carry out a program, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, to award grants to assist eligible local law enforcement agencies with hiring and training new law enforcement officers and with rehiring career law enforcement officers who have been laid off as a result of budget reductions. Defines an "eligible" local law enforcement agency as one that has jurisdiction over all or part of a county or other unit of local government that has a violent crime rate at or above the national average and that has had budget reductions during the most recent five-year period (elevated need locality). Authorizes the Attorney General to carry out a program to award grants to units of local government that have jurisdiction over all or part of an elevated need locality to enhance public safety in such jurisdictions, including by: (1) purchasing public safety equipment, (2) funding public safety programs, (3) making infrastructure improvements, (4) purchasing and installing lights to deter crime, (5) funding activities related to crime labs, and (6) funding public defender programs. Authorizes such grants to nonprofit organizations that operate in elevated need localities to carry out programs designed to reduce crime in such areas.