H.R. 3458: Strong Communities Act of 2025

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 is a proposed piece of legislation that aims to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. Its main objective is to establish a new program called the "COPS Strong Communities Program" that allows local law enforcement agencies to use grant funds for officer and recruit training through educational institutions or law enforcement training programs.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Grant Funding: The bill enables the Attorney General to distribute competitive grants to local law enforcement agencies. These grants can be utilized to fund the attendance of officers and recruits at eligible law enforcement training programs.
• Training Requirements: To qualify for these grants, officers and recruits must agree to work in their local communities for a specified period following their training. Specifically, they must serve as full-time law enforcement officers for at least four years within eight years of completing their training.
• Geographical Service Requirements: Officers and recruits must serve in positions that are located within a certain distance of their homes. This is defined as either within 7 miles for those who have resided in a community for at least five years or within 20 miles for those in areas with fewer than 150,000 residents.
• Repayment Conditions: If an officer or recruit fails to complete the required service, they must repay the local law enforcement agency the benefits they received for the training. However, the bill allows for certain extenuating circumstances under which this repayment obligation could be waived.
• Transparency and Reporting: The Attorney General is required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the use of the grant funds, including information on the recipients of the grants and the number of officers and recruits participating in the training programs.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for grant funding, local law enforcement agencies must meet specific criteria. The term "eligible entity" encompasses:

• An institution of higher education that offers a law enforcement training program in coordination with a local law enforcement agency.
• A local law enforcement agency that itself provides a law enforcement training program.

Accountability Measures

The bill includes accountability mechanisms, mandating the Attorney General to provide detailed reports to Congress regarding how grant funds are utilized, including:

• The locations and number of agencies granting such funding.
• The number of officers and recruits sent to training programs supported by these grants.

Relevant Companies

None found.