A new program in FY 1999 improved the safety of law enforcement and corrections officers nationwide. The entire application and payment process took place online through an innovative Web-based application, described in Chapter 8. Funds covered up to 50 percent of the cost of vests meeting NIJ standards. The funds can be used to hire police officers, improve security in and around schools, purchase law enforcement equipment and technology, enhance the adjudication of violent offenders, and for other public safety efforts. Byrne funds are awarded to state governments for projects to improve the criminal justice system at the state and local level.
States make subawards to local agencies.
The funds must be used in accordance with 26 legislatively authorized purpose areas, including multijurisdictional drug task forces, criminal justice records improvement, crime prevention, and drug treatment and education. The Police Corps is designed to address violent crime by helping police and sheriffs' departments increase the number of officers with advanced education and training assigned to community patrol. The program, which operates within states that submitted an approved state plan, is designed to motivate highly qualified young people to serve as police officers and sheriffs' deputies. It offers federal scholarships on a competitive basis to college students who agree to serve as police for at least four years. Participants become full members of state and local police departments in geographic areas that have the greatest need for additional police officers.