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.
Bill: H.R.5211 | Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis (D-CA)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
This bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to provide training to recruits who agree to serve in 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. STRONG COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.

    Section 1701 of the 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' 
                means--
                            ``(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' means an agency of a 
                State, unit of local government, or Indian Tribe that 
                is authorized by law or by a government agency to 
                engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, 
                investigation, or prosecution of any violation of 
                criminal law.
            ``(2) Grants.--The Attorney General may use amounts 
        otherwise appropriated to carry out this section for a fiscal 
        year (beginning with fiscal year 2022) 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).''.
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