For Immediate Release
August 27, 2009

CONTACT: Gilbert L. Moore
(202) 616-1728

FEDERAL COPS OFFICE AWARDS $ 19.6 MILLION TO TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has announced grants totaling $19.6 million that were awarded to 102 tribal police departments and governments. This amount includes $3.3 million that the Department of Justice awarded to tribes in Washington State yesterday. Twenty nine of the tribes that received grants will use the funding to hire 30 new officers, and the remaining grantees will purchase equipment and training services with their grant funds.

The grants were awarded under COPS Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP), which funds the hiring of officers, purchase of crime-fighting technology systems and basic equipment, and the procurement of training and technical assistance resources. Including these grants, since 1995, COPS has provided more than $258.2 million to support Native American law enforcement agencies through TRGP.

“Many tribal law enforcement agencies face considerable challenges as a result of being short- staffed, under-equipped, or having to patrol vast jurisdictions, and we are pleased to support their efforts,” said COPS Acting Director, David Buchanan.

In addition to grants, COPS offers no-cost information resources that address issues specific to tribal law enforcement. Among these resources are COPS new publication titled, Law Enforcement Intelligence: A Guide for State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies. This and other tribal law enforcement specific publications can be ordered at no-cost by contacting the COPS Office Response Center at 1-800-421-6770.

The TRGP is part of a broader federal initiative to bolster the capacity of tribal law enforcement agencies. All federally recognized tribes with established police departments are eligible to receive TRGP funding. To learn which tribes received grants, and for additional information about COPS programs and tribal resources, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.

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• Tribal Resources Grant Program 2009 Grant Recipient List: PDF

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