Frontline resource · Grants and funding

COPS Hiring Program: what it funds and how to apply

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP), administered by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, provides funding for law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire career officers. Here is how the program has generally worked and where to confirm this year's details.

Last reviewed · 3 min read · Frontline for Public Safety

Grant programs, amounts, eligibility and deadlines change every fiscal year. This page describes how programs have generally worked and where to verify current details. Always rely on the official program page and the current notice of funding opportunity.

What CHP has funded

Recent CHP solicitations have funded a portion of the entry-level salary and fringe benefits of newly hired or rehired full-time sworn officers over a multi-year period, tied to a community policing plan. Funding caps per officer, the grant period and the match percentage are set in each year's solicitation — check the current one.

Typical requirements to review

  • Local cash match, unless a waiver is granted
  • Retention: keeping funded positions for a period after the grant ends
  • Non-supplanting: funds must add positions, not replace local funding
  • A community policing problem focus described in the application
  • Active SAM.gov registration, Grants.gov and JustGrants accounts

Preparing an application

  • Confirm the current fiscal year solicitation and deadlines on the COPS website
  • Gather crime, staffing and fiscal data early
  • Coordinate with your finance office on match and post-grant retention funding
  • Register or renew SAM.gov well ahead of the deadline

Why retention matters after the award

Because CHP has required agencies to maintain funded positions, losing grant-funded officers creates both a staffing and a compliance problem. Planning for retention from day one protects the award.

Sources and further reading

Frontline for Public Safety

A retention program that supports the individual and gives leadership an earlier view of workforce concerns.