[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 252 (Tuesday, December 31, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69031-69032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33294]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

28 CFR Part 92

RIN 1105-AA47


Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; FY 1996 Police 
Corps Program

AGENCY: Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education, 
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Department of Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule adopts without change an interim rule published by 
the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of 
Justice, in the Federal Register on September 24, 1996, which 
established a framework for the Police Corps, authorized by the Police 
Corps Act, Title XX, Subtitle A of the Violent Crime Control and Law 
Enforcement Act of 1994. One comment was received before the comment 
period expired on October 24, 1996.

DATES: Final rule is effective December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: L. Anthony Sutin, Deputy Director/
General Counsel, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. 
Department of Justice, 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20530; 
telephone (202) 514-3750.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this rule is to provide 
guidance to States and individuals interested in applying to 
participates in the Police Corps. The rule addresses eligibility 
requirements, application criteria and procedures, and certain post-
application requirements. The rule is not intended to be a 
comprehensive compilation of the administrative requirements of the 
Police Corps; the authorizing statute (42 U.S.C. 14091 et seq.) is 
quite detailed in a number of respects and those requirements and 
provisions are not repeated in the regulation (but are set forth in the 
following overview). In addition, other program requirements and 
procedures will be formulated by the participating States in light of 
their circumstances and needs.
    One commenter requested that college and university police forces 
be made eligible for assignment of Police Corps officers. The rule does 
not address this issue beyond restating the statute's requirement that 
Police Corps participants be assigned to a ``State or local police 
force.'' The Office intends to defer to participating States the 
determination of whether a particular college or university police 
force qualifies as a ``State or local police force'' under the laws of 
those particular States and meet the other statutory requirements for 
receiving an assignment of Police Corps officers.
    Based on other inquiries received by the Office relating to the 
program, the following additional points of background clarification 
are offered. First, while the Police corps does make available 
educational assistance to dependent children of fallen law enforcement 
officers, this assistance is limited to children of officers who served 
in a State that participate in the Police Corps. See 28 CFR 92.2(c)(3). 
Second, nothing in the statute or rule requires Police Corps 
participants who will receive scholarships for graduate study to resign 
their officer position upon commencement of graduate study,

[[Page 69032]]

to the extent consistent with their employment and educational 
commitments.
    The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is adopting the 
interim rule as final without change.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for the Police 
Corps is 16.712.

Administrative Requirements

Executive Order 12866

    This regulation has been drafted and reviewed in accordance with 
Executive Order 12866, section 1(b), Principles of Regulation. The 
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has determined that this 
final rule is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866, section 3(f), Regulatory Planning and Review, and, 
accordingly, this final rule has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Director, Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement 
Education, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, in 
accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, codified at 5 U.S.C. 
605(b), has reviewed this regulation and, by approving it, certifies 
that this regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. This final rule builds upon the 
statutory outline of a program providing scholarships and educational 
assistance to individuals in exchange for a commitment to serve as a 
law enforcement officer for four years, and the award of such 
scholarships or assistance imposes no requirements on small businesses 
or other small entities.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Information collection associated with this regulation has been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget under the provisions of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The OMB control number for this 
collection is 1103-0035.

List of Subjects in 28 CFR Part 92

    Law enforcement officers, Scholarships and fellowships, Student 
aid.

    Accordingly, the interim rule adding 28 CFR part 92, which was 
published in the Federal Register on September 24, 1996, at 61 FR 
49971, is adopted as a final rule without change.

    Dated: December 19, 1996.
Joseph E. Brann,
Director.
[FR Doc. 96-33294 Filed 12-30-96; 8:45 am]
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