[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 65 (Thursday, April 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16119-16120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8115]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; FY 2002 Community 
Policing Discretionary Grants

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services (COPS) announces the availability of Universal Hiring 
Program (UHP) grants to pay up to 75 percent of the entry-level salary 
and benefits for newly hired, additional sworn officers over a three 
year grant term, up to a maximum of $75,000 per officer. A minimum 25 
percent local match, paid with state or local funds, is required. To 
qualify for funding, officers must be hired on or after the grant award 
start date. Funding will begin once the new officers have been hired on 
or after the date of the award, and will be paid over the course of the 
grant. At the time of application, applicants must agree to plan for 
the retention of each COPS-funded UHP position awarded with state, 
local or other non-COPS funds at the conclusion of federal funding, for 
a minimum of one full local budget cycle. The retention requirement 
cannot be satisfied through attrition. All policing agencies, as well 
as jurisdictions seeking to establish new policing agencies, are 
eligible to apply for this program.

DATES: The priority consideration deadline for UHP funding is May 24, 
2002. The second and final deadline date for all UHP applications is 
June 21, 2002. All UHP applications must be postmarked by the final 
deadline date. Applications postmarked after the final deadline date 
will not be considered. All grant awards are subject to the 
availability of funds. In the event that UHP funding requests exceed 
available grant funds, applications may be considered in subsequent 
fiscal years. Since funding is limited under UHP, we encourage 
interested agencies to apply early.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of an application or for additional 
information, call the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-
800-421-6770. The UHP application kit and information on the COPS 
Office are also available on the Internet via the COPS Web site at: 
www.cops.usdoj.gov.

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 
increase deployment of law enforcement officers devoted to community 
policing on the streets and rural routes of this nation. The Universal 
Hiring Program (UHP) enables interested agencies to supplement their 
current sworn forces, or interested jurisdictions to establish a new 
agency, through federal grants for up to three years. All policing 
agencies, as well as jurisdictions seeking to establish new policing 
agencies, are eligible to apply for this program.
    Grants will be made for up to 75 percent of the entry level salary 
and benefits for each new officer over three years, up to a maximum of 
$75,000 per officer, with a required minimum 25 percent local match to 
be paid with state or local funds. Funding will begin once the new 
officers have been hired on or after the date of the award, and will be 
paid over the course of the grant. Officers must be hired on or after 
the grant award start date to qualify for grant funding.
    Waivers of the non-federal matching requirement may be requested 
under UHP, but will be granted only upon a demonstration of 
extraordinary fiscal hardship.
    COPS grant funds must not be used to replace funds that eligible 
agencies otherwise would have devoted to officer hiring in the absence 
of the grant. In other words, any hiring under UHP must be in addition 
to, and not in lieu of, officers that otherwise would have been hired. 
At the time of application, applicants must agree to plan for the 
retention of each COPS-funded UHP position awarded with state, local or 
other non-COPS funds at the conclusion of federal funding, for a 
minimum of one full local budget cycle. The retention requirement 
cannot be satisfied through attrition.
    An award under the COPS Universal Hiring Program will not affect 
the consideration of an agency's eligibility for a grant under other 
COPS programs.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) reference for 
this program is 16.710.


[[Page 16120]]


    Dated: March 15, 2002.
Carl R. Peed,
Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
[FR Doc. 02-8115 Filed 4-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-AT-M