[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19225-19226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9551]


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

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services


FY 2003 Community Policing Discretionary Grants

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

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services (COPS) announces the availability of funds under the 
Tribal Resources Grant Program, a program designed to meet the most 
serious needs of law enforcement in Indian communities through a 
comprehensive grant program that will offer a variety of funding 
options including: New, additional police officer positions; basic and/
or specialized training for new and existing officers; training in 
community policing, grants management and computer training; uniforms 
and basic issue equipment; department-wide technology; and police 
vehicles. This program, which complements the COPS Office's efforts to 
fund additional community policing officers and to support innovative 
community policing, will enhance law enforcement infrastructures and 
community policing efforts in tribal communities which have limited 
resources and are affected by high rates of crime and violence. 
Applications should reflect the department's most serious law 
enforcement needs and must link these needs to the implementation or 
enhancement of community policing. In addition, a Retention Plan 
Certification form outlining how COPS-funded officer positions will be 
retained after federal funding has ended must be submitted with the 
grant application.
    All Federally Recognized Tribes with established police departments 
or existing police efforts are eligible to apply. Federally Recognized 
Tribes that wish to establish police departments and meet specific 
criteria are eligible to apply. Federally Recognized Tribes may also 
apply as a consortium with a written partnership agreement that names a 
lead agency and describes how requested resources will serve the 
consortium's population. In addition, tribes that are currently served 
by Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement may request funding 
under this grant program to supplement their existing police services. 
Tribes whose law enforcement services are exclusively provided by local 
policing agencies through a contract agreement are not eligible under 
the COPS TRGP program, but may be eligible to apply to the COPS 
Universal Hiring Program, and/or COPS in Schools program for police 
officer positions only.

DATES: Applications will be available in late April. Federally 
Recognized Tribes or villages that wish to apply may request an 
application from the COPS Office. The deadline for the submission of 
applications is May 30, 2003.
    Applications must be post marked by May 30, 2003, to be considered 
eligible.

ADDRESSES: To obtain an application or for more information, call the 
U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. A copy of 
the application kit will also be available in April on the COPS Office 
Web site at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The U.S. Department of Justice 
Response Center, 1-800-421-6770 and ask to speak with your Tribal Grant 
Program Specialist.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-
322) authorizes the Department of Justice to

[[Page 19226]]

make grants to increase deployment of law enforcement officers devoted 
to community policing on the streets and rural routes in this nation. 
The Tribal Resources Grant Program was developed to meet the most 
serious needs of law enforcement in tribal communities through a 
comprehensive grant program that will offer a variety of funding 
options.
    This program will enhance law enforcement infrastructures and 
community policing efforts in these tribal communities, many of which 
have limited resources and are affected by high rates of crime and 
violence.
    The Tribal Resources Grant Program is part of a larger federal 
initiative which over the last five years has resulted in the 
Departments of Interior and Justice working in collaboration to improve 
law enforcement in tribal communities. Funding has been appropriated to 
several DOJ agencies including the FBI, the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance (BJA), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention (OJJDP) and the COPS Office. COPS is coordinating with these 
agencies as well as with the Office of Law Enforcement Services of the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs to ensure that limited resources are not spent 
on duplicative efforts.
    A total of $34.7 million in funding will be available under the 
Tribal Resources Grant Program. The grant will cover a maximum federal 
share of 75% of the total project costs. A latch match requirement of 
at least 25% of the total project costs is included in this program. A 
waiver of the local match requirement may be requested but will be 
granted only on the basis of documented demonstrated fiscal hardship. 
Requests for waivers must be submitted with the application.
    Tribes whose law enforcement services are exclusively provided by 
local policing agencies through contract arrangements are not eligible 
under this COPS program. However, tribes that do not meet the 
eligibility requirements for this program may be eligible to apply to 
the COPS Office Universal Hiring Program and/or COPS in Schools program 
for police officer positions only.
    Receiving an award under the Tribal Resources Grant Program will 
not preclude grantees from future consideration under other COPS grant 
programs for which they are eligible.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) reference for 
this program is 16.710.

    Dated: April 9, 2003.
Carl R. Reed,
Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
[FR Doc. 03-9551 Filed 4-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-AT-M