Providing Safe and Secure Neighborhoods for American Families

Why?  The COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) is a competitive grant program providing up to $1 billion in funding directly to law enforcement agencies having primary law enforcement authority to hire and rehire career law enforcement officers.  CHRP grants will provide 100 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits for 3 years (36 months) for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions (including filling existing unfunded vacancies) or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off at a future date, as a result of local budget cuts. At the conclusion of federal funding, grantees must retain all sworn officer positions awarded under the CHRP grant for one year.

The COPS grant award process is underway and has not yet been finalized. The award process will be completed by August 2009. Law enforcement agencies from all over the country are eligible to apply for COPS grant funding, and every state will receive an award.