[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 226 (Thursday, November 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59241-59242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29740]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; FY 1996 Community 
Policing Discretionary Grants

AGENCY: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Department of 
Justice.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services (``COPS'') announces the availability of funding to 
provide comprehensive and innovative education, training, and technical 
assistance to COPS grantees and other departments through Regional 
Community Policing Institutes. Eligible applicants are state, local and 
Indian tribal law enforcement agencies, state or regional training 
providers, local or county agency training academies, POST commissions, 
and universities/colleges. However, this initiative is specifically 
directed at applicants that already have a solid background in 
community policing training as well as a basic structure, such as an 
existing police academy, that can support the development of an 
Institute.
    Partnerships are required for Community Policing Institutes and 
applicants are encouraged to engage more than one partner. For example, 
if the applicant is a university, POST Commission, or an academy, it 
must partner with local law enforcement agencies and a non-profit 
organization.

[[Page 59242]]

If the applicant is a law enforcement agency, it must partner with a 
university or academy or a POST Commission, and a non-profit community 
organization. Partnering with other departments is encouraged.

DATES: Regional Community Policing Institute Application Kits will be 
available after November 19, 1996. The COPS Office will accept 
completed Application Kits for Regional Community Policing Institutes 
on or before January 31, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Regional Community Policing Institute Application Kits may 
be obtained by writing to Regional Community Policing Institutes, 1100 
Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20530, or by calling the Department 
of Justice Response Center, (202) 307-1480 or 1-800-421-6770. Completed 
Application Kits should be sent to Regional Community Policing 
Institute Applications, COPS Office, Eleventh Floor, 1100 Vermont 
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20530.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Department of Justice Crime Bill Response Center, (202) 307-1480 or 
1-800-421-6770.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 
103-322) authorizes the Department of Justice to provide technical 
assistance, including the establishment and operation of training 
centers and facilities, in the implementation of community policing.
    Community policing requires a substantial investment in training. 
Regional Community Policing Institutes can facilitate an infusion of 
community policing principles into all forms of police training. 
Regional Community Policing Institutes will be expected to apply the 
principles of adult learning to all training and professional 
development activities. Institutes will need to demonstrate how they 
will differ from traditional training academies, how they will apply 
critical thinking to complex enforcement, community and organizational 
problems, and how they will integrate capacity development into the 
scope of their activities. This initiative will permit organizations to 
develop a training infrastructure that will help institutionalize and 
sustain community policing after federal funding has ended.
    The COPS Office will fund the expansion of current ongoing 
community policing training efforts and establish a network of 
Community Policing Institutes across the United States. The work of a 
Regional Community Policing Institute can be performed within an 
agency's training academy, a state training academy, POST Commission, 
community college or university.
    Partnerships are required for Community Policing Institutes and 
applicants are encouraged to engage more than one partner. The 
partnership consists of one or more police departments, an academic 
institution, and a recognized community or non-profit organization. At 
least one of the partners will have been engaged in comprehensive 
community policing training for at least two years.
    An Institute is a partnership created to provide comprehensive and 
innovative education, training, and technical assistance to COPS 
grantees and other departments throughout a designated region. 
Generally a region is considered to be state-wide. However, other 
intra- and inter-state configurations also will be considered. An 
Institute provides basic community policing training as well as 
training in a community policing speciality. Speciality training could 
include executive or management development, ethics training, problem 
solving, technology-based training, building partnerships, 
organizational transformation, organizational/community assessment, or 
implementing community policing. Although an Institute differs from a 
traditional police academy, it may co-exist with a department's 
training academy.
    An Institute partnership will have one primary grantee and signed 
collaboration agreements with all partners. The agreements will clarify 
roles and responsibilities of partners. The primary grantee will be 
responsible for the financial management of the grant. An Institute 
will ensure that training reaches as many grantees as possible by 
including a train-the-trainer component for developing community 
policing trainers who will be available throughout the region.
    An Institute will have a program director and a core staff. It is 
expected that current training staff will participate in the training. 
Institute core staff will be housed by one of the partners but the 
training can occur in different facilities provided either by the 
partners or hosted by local departments throughout the region.
    All awards made under Regional Community Policing Institutes will 
be cooperative agreements, instead of grants. Cooperative agreements 
are entered into when the Federal government plans to have substantial 
program oversight of the funded agency during the performance of the 
proposed activity. Funding will be for one year and each award will 
range up to $1 million total. The amount of funding is dependent upon 
jurisdiction/agency size and the nature of the proposed training 
efforts. Although a local match is not required for this program, 
applicants are encouraged to contribute cash or in-kind resources to 
their proposed projects.
    Regional Community Policing Institutes have special requirements on 
funding allocation. Applicants are required to allocate at least 5 
percent of the total award budget for research or evaluation efforts. 
Additionally, applicants are required to allocate at least 5 percent of 
the total award budget for hosting conferences, and up to 10 percent 
for travel stipends that will ensure access to training.
    Application Kits will be available after November 19, 1996. 
Completed Application Kits must be received by the COPS Office on or 
before January 31, 1997.
    An award under the Regional Community Policing Institutes will not 
affect the eligibility of an agency's application for a grant under any 
other COPS program.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) reference for 
this program is 16.710.

    Dated: November 14, 1996.
Joseph E. Brann,
Director.
[FR Doc. 96-29740 Filed 11-20-96; 8:45 am]
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