A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may be used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or academics if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law enforcement agencies in their communities.

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide that COPS grant funds may be used for local law enforcement recruits to attend schools or academies if the recruits agree to serve in precincts of law enforcement agencies in their communities. 1. Strong Communities Program Section 1701 of Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n); and (2) by inserting after subsection (l) the following: (m) COPS Strong Communities Program (1) Definitions (A) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (i) an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001), that, in coordination or through an agreement with a local law enforcement agency, offers a law enforcement training program; or (ii) a local law enforcement agency that offers a law enforcement training program. (B) Local law enforcement agency The term local law enforcement agency (2) Grants The Attorney General may use amounts otherwise appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal year (beginning with fiscal year 2020) to make competitive grants to local law enforcement agencies to be used for recruits to attend eligible entities if the recruits agree to serve in law enforcement agencies in their communities. (3) Eligibility To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, each recruit described in paragraph (2) shall— (A) serve as a full-time law enforcement officer for a total of not fewer than 4 years during the 8-year period after the date on which the recruit completes a law enforcement training program for which the recruit received benefits; (B) complete their service in a local law enforcement agency located within— (i) 5 miles of the residence of the recruit where the recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 years; or (ii) if the recruit resides in a county with less than 100,000 residents, within 20 miles of the residence of the recruit where the recruit has resided for not fewer than 5 years; and (C) submit evidence of employment of the recruit to the eligible agency in the form of a certification by the chief administrative officer of the local law enforcement agency where the recruit is employed. (4) Repayment (A) In general If a recruit does not complete the service described in paragraph (3), the recruit shall submit to the local law enforcement agency an amount equal to any benefits the recruit received under this subsection. (B) Regulations The Attorney General shall promulgate regulations that establish categories of extenuating circumstances under which a recruit may be excused from repayment under subparagraph (A). .

Summary: This bill authorizes using certain grants to provide training to law enforcement recruits who agree to serve in their communities. Specifically, the Department of Justice (DOJ) may provide such a grant for a local law enforcement agency to provide training for a recruit who agrees to serve as a full-time law enforcement officer (1) for at least four of the eight years after completing the training, and (2) at a local law enforcement agency within a certain distance of the place where the recruit has resided for at least five years. The recruit must repay the costs of the training to the local law enforcement agency if the recruit does not meet these conditions. DOJ shall establish categories of extenuating circumstances that may excuse a recruit from repayment.