[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26553-26554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12662]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; FY 1997 Community 
Policing Discretionary Grants

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


[[Page 26554]]


ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services (``COPS'') announces the availability of grants to 
assist policing agencies to further develop an infrastructure to 
institutionalize and sustain community policing practices under the 
Advancing Community Policing program. Eligible applicants under the 
Advancing Community Policing program are all state, local, Tribal and 
other public law enforcement agencies with an established background in 
community policing.

DATES: Application Kits will be available mid May, 1997. Applications 
for the Advancing Community Policing program must be postmarked on or 
before June 30, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Applications may be obtained by writing to Advancing 
Community Policing, COPS Office, Eighth Floor, 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20530, or by calling the Department of Justice Response 
Center, (202) 307-1480 or 1-800-421-6770, or the full application kit 
is also available on the COPS Office web site at: http://www.usdoj.gov/
cops. Completed applications should be sent to Advancing Community 
Policing, COPS Office, Eighth Floor, 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 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 make grants to support 
innovative community policing across the nation.
    The Advancing Community Policing program will help policing 
agencies further develop an infrastructure to institutionalize and 
sustain community policing practices. Two categories of grants are 
available to eligible applicants: Organizational Change and Community 
Policing Demonstration Centers. Applicants may select only one of the 
categories. Applicants must clearly demonstrate interest in instilling 
the spirit and practice of community policing throughout their 
organization by changing its existing structures or serving as a 
Community Policing Demonstration Center.
    Organizational Change grants will help law enforcement agencies 
overcome organizational-level obstacles to create an atmosphere in 
which community policing thrives. Applicants must have a solid 
background in community policing and will be required to focus on 
changing one element of their organization. The applicant must choose 
one of the five priority areas within the Organizational Change 
category: Leadership and Management; Organizational Culture; Modifying 
Organizational Structures; Research and Planning; or Re-engineering 
Other Components of the Organization. Applicants are required to submit 
a detailed Project Narrative including: a description of the problem 
the proposed change strategy will address, the expected goals and the 
objectives; a discussion of internal and external forces that might 
affect implementation of the proposed change; an explanation of how the 
proposal links to the department's overall change strategy; and an 
explanation of how the department's overall change strategy links to 
the department's community policing plan.
    Advancing Community Policing awards provided in the Community 
Policing Demonstration Centers category will allow agencies that have 
taken the lead in implementing the philosophy of community policing 
throughout their departments to help other agencies choose effective 
community policing strategies. These agencies, serving as active 
community policing laboratories, will be provided with the tools needed 
to disseminate information and provide assistance to other entities and 
be designated as Community Policing Demonstration Centers. A Center, 
through internal and external efforts, will work to perfect accepted 
community policing methods and experiment with new ideas to map the 
future of community policing. Applicants must have a multi-year 
strategic community policing plan already in place. Applicants will be 
required to submit a detailed Project Narrative including: a 
description of the agency's community policing history and its present 
capacity to continue developing community policing; a discussion of 
recent problem-solving efforts, community partnerships, current 
training and analysis capabilities; an analysis of the organization's 
strategic plan, how it fits in with the goals of Community Policing 
Demonstration Centers and how it can be enhanced; current and 
anticipated research and evaluation efforts; and a time line that 
reflects the stages of implementation.
    Advancing Community Policing is an extremely competitive program. 
Up to $10 million in Organizational Change grants will be awarded. 
Organizational Change awards will not exceed $250,000, with the average 
award expected to be $100,000.
    Community Policing Demonstration Centers awards will be cooperative 
agreements. Up to $25 million will be awarded under Community Policing 
Demonstration Centers. For a jurisdiction serving a population of less 
than 150,000, each award will not exceed $500,000; for a jurisdiction 
serving a population of 150,000 or greater, each award will not exceed 
$1 million. Smaller jurisdictions are encouraged to form a consortium 
with other jurisdictions.
    Local matching funds are not required under Advancing Community 
Policing. However, all applicants are strongly encouraged to contribute 
cash or in-kind resources to their proposed project. Award funds must 
be used to supplement, not supplant, state or local funds.
    An award under Advancing Community Policing 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: April 30, 1997.
Joseph E. Brann,
Director.
[FR Doc. 97-12662 Filed 5-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-AT-M