FY23 Critical Topics -Community Policing Development Solicitation

Description

Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as violent crime, nonviolent crime, and fear of crime. Community Policing Development (CPD) funds are used to develop the capacity of law enforcement to implement community policing strategies by providing guidance on promising practices through the development and testing of innovative strategies; building knowledge about effective practices and outcomes; and supporting new, creative approaches to preventing crime and promoting safe communities. The COPS Office is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and build trust between law enforcement and the community. Statutory Authority This program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title I, Part Q, Public Law 103-322, 34 U.S.C. § 10381 et seq. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. Program-Specific Information This program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title I, Part Q, Public Law 103-322, 34 U.S.C. § 10381 et seq. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. For all identified deliverables, the applicant should adhere to the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual. For projects that propose site-specific work, letters of support from the targeted agencies are strongly encouraged. With any programmatic questions, please contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or send questions via email to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov. The COPS Office Response Center operates Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, except on federal holidays. Program Goals Under this solicitation, the COPS Office seeks to support projects that allow for the identification and expansion of promising practices and produces knowledge products that follow the principles of good guidance: Quality-driven, with an emphasis on action statements to drive promising practices and reduce variations in performance Evidence-based, with recommendations that are consistent with the weight of the best available evidence identified through systematic review Accessible, with clear language and manageable lengths that are appropriate and relevant for the law enforcement field Memorable, to encourage immediate actions or aid for the complex situations law enforcement professionals face To read an overview of the principles of community policing, please see the COPS Office publication Community Policing Defined. Applicants should also consider the COPS Office performance measures when developing their own specific project goals and activities, which can be found in the "Performance Measures" section of this application. Critical Topics Program - Community Policing Development As part of its mission, the COPS Office offers innovative programs that respond directly to the critical needs of state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement. Through this solicitation the COPS Office will convene stakeholders around the most critical issues in public safety facing our nation, develop guides and resources, reports, best practices, and other information products for the field that highlight successful community policing strategies in the areas of recruitment, retention, workforce diversification, tolerance, ant-bias and diversity. Under this solicitation, the COPS Office will fund projects in the following subcategories: Emerging Issues Forums Innovations in Recruitment, Retention and Workforce Diversification Tolerance, Anti-bias and Diversity Training Applicants may apply for multiple subcategories, but a separate application is required for each program. Emerging Issues Forums One award, up to $300,000 The COPS Office will fund an organization to plan and execute two to four convenings with thought leaders in law enforcement on critical topics that are impacting the field. These forums will provide subject matter expertise on emerging issues in law enforcement, engaging with leading voices in the field on the critical issues in policing. The applicant will also develop resources highlighting promising practices addressing these emerging issues that can be shared with the broader law enforcement community. The applicant should be prepared to work collaboratively with the COPS Office to develop topics for the emerging issues convenings. Projects Out of Scope • Applicants that are not institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations, community groups, nonprofit organizations, or faith-based organizations will not be considered. • Projects that do not focus on the planning and execution of convenings and the development of deliverables (brief reports or summaries, publications, etc.) that can be shared with the broader law enforcement field will not be considered. Requirements The primary goal of this project is to support two to four forums on emerging issues in policing. These forums will assemble thought leaders in law enforcement on critical topics impacting the field. Forums can be virtual or in- person and must result in the development of publications, toolkits, and other resources that provide promising practices on critical issues. The applicant should address the following in their proposal narrative: The subject matter expertise of the project leadership and staff in experience managing meetings or forums (virtual, in person, or both) of leaders in the law enforcement field on topics of emerging importance to law enforcement Forum ideas that demonstrate knowledge and expertise in identifying and addressing emerging issues in law enforcement as well as subject matter experts from across the country Planning activities, such as conducting pre-meeting research, recommending invitees and speakers as appropriate, developing meeting materials, and discussion preparation, as well as meeting execution and facilitation Development of deliverables such as a guidebook on the emerging issues based on forum discussions, literature review, and pre-meeting interviews that can be shared with the broader law enforcement community. Deliverables The primary deliverable of this award will the planning and execution of forums focused on emerging law enforcement issues and the development of resources such as a report of forum discussions, pre-meeting interviews, and research from literature and previously reported studies that can be shared with the broader law enforcement field. These deliverables may be published by the COPS Office at no expense to the award recipient (which would include development assistance, editing, design, and distribution). Innovations in Recruitment, Retention and Workforce Diversification One award, up to $400,000 Recruiting and selection of the best law enforcement candidates who represent a diversity of backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences is essential to building trust, collaboration, and transparency with the community. However, the ability of law enforcement agencies to recruit and select eligible candidates presents a challenge in a climate where policing is not seen by some as an appealing career. With retention of officers at an all-time low and retirements on the rise, it is important for agencies to understand how to implement best practices most effectively regarding the recruitment and selection of officers. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Survey on Police Workforce Trends (2021) indicates reductions in hiring and retention within law enforcement agencies nationwide. According to PERF, agencies reported an 18 percent increase in resignations and a 5 percent reduction in hiring. In addition, the report notes that a significant number of retirements has also impacted law enforcement agencies, reporting a 45 percent increase in the retirement rate. Employing new and innovative practices to recruitment and selection will be critical to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that has strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, is adaptable, and understands agency policies and procedures—a workforce that is essential to maintaining a safe and thriving community. The COPS Office will provide funding to an organization to develop recruitment, retention, and workforce diversification resources (videos, toolkits, publications, podcasts, etc.) that can be shared with the broader law enforcement field and provide technical assistance to help law enforcement improve their capacity to develop creative and engaging opportunities to market policing positions and expand the pool of potential applicants to attract, select, and retain a diverse workforce for their agencies. Projects Out of Scope Applicants that are not institutions of higher education, for-profit (commercial) organizations, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and faith-based organizations will not be considered. Projects that do not focus on development of recruitment, retention, and workforce diversification resources (videos, toolkits, publications, podcasts, etc.) that can be shared with the broader law enforcement field and/or provide technical assistance to agencies on the topic areas will not be considered. Requirements The primary goal of this project is to help agencies improve their officer recruitment, retention and workforce diversification ef

Eligibility

Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category code 25. These codes correspond to applicant types (state/local government, tribal organization, nonprofit, educational institution, individual, small business, etc.) defined in Grants.gov's own eligibility reference. See the current Grants.gov eligibility categories or check the official listing below for this opportunity's exact eligibility statement.

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