COPS Improvements Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-368
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2007-01-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Authorization
Community policing
Crime prevention
Department of Justice
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drugs and youth
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Federal aid to law enforcement
Gangs
Government Operations and Politics
Labor and Employment
Methamphetamine
Police
Police communication systems
Police training
Prosecution
Retired military personnel
School security
Science, Technology, Communications
Technological innovations
Terrorism
Veterans' employment
Violence

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-23
text: 
COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT grant program). 
 
Authorizes grants to: (1) hire school resource officers and establish local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems in elementary and secondary schools; (2) establish and implement programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug activities, including the manufacturing, distribution, and use of methamphetamine; and (3) meet emerging law enforcement needs, as warranted. 
 
Authorizes the use of COPS ON THE BEAT grants to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers.
 
Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for: (1) assigning prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and to address counter-terrorism problems and violent crime in local communities; and (2) developing new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention and training.
 
Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under COPS ON THE BEAT grant program.
 
Authorizes the Attorney General to extend grant periods and to renew grants if the grant recipient can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application.

action_date: 2007-05-24
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand the authority of the Attorney General to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT or COPS program). Revises grant purposes to provide for: (1) the hiring or training of law enforcement officers for intelligence, antiterror, and homeland security duties; (2) the hiring of school resource officers; (3) school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems facing elementary and secondary schools; (4) innovative programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug (including methamphetamine) manufacturing, distribution, and use; and (5) enhanced community policing and crime prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs.

Allows COPS program grants to be used to hire former members of the Armed Forces to serve as career law enforcement officers for community-oriented policing, particularly in communities adversely affected by a recent military base closing.

Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to: (1) assign community prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and address counterterrorism problems, specific violent crime problems, and localized violent and other crime problems; and (2) develop new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention.

Grants the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services exclusive authority to perform functions and activities under the COPS program.

Requires grant recipients to retain additional law enforcement officers for a 12-month period after the end of the grant period.

Authorizes the Attorney General to renew COPS program grants if grant recipients can demonstrate significant progress in achieving the objectives of the initial grant application.

Increases: (1) the authorization of appropriation for the COPS program; and (2) the amount of funds available for technical assistance from 3 to 5%. Specifies amounts to be made available for hiring officers and prosecutors and for technology grants.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-06-20
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 110-271.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 175.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-73.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-73.
action_date: 2007-05-23
text: Committee on the Judiciary Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-03-15
text: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2007-01-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S922-923)
action_date: 2007-01-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S921-922)
action_date: 2007-01-23
text: Introduced in Senate