DOJ announces $40 million to fund community policing

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced that it would make $40 million available to fund community policing efforts.

The funding allocates up to $10 million for crisis intervention teams, $15 million for de-escalation training and $8 million for accreditation efforts, according to the DOJ. 

Another $5 million will go to projects known as COPS Microgrants, which allow local agencies to offer creative ways to fight crime, and up to $2 million will support training related to tolerance, diversity and anti-bias.

That multimillion-dollar investment is in addition to roughly $5 million set aside for the Collaborative Reform Initiative, which was announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier this year.

Through that initiative, more technical services are provided to law enforcement officers. Those services include “targeted assistance following a critical incident, issue-specific reviews and analysis, and in-depth assessments on systemic issues.”

“Nothing is more important than keeping our communities safe,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta in Monday’s funding announcement. 

“The funding we are announcing today is critical to the department’s commitment to public safety and best practices in community policing,” Gupta added.

The funding comes after the department last month launched an online portal, known as the National Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab, in an effort to better policing practices.

“The Knowledge Lab will draw upon the department’s expertise from consent decrees, as well as years of research, technical assistance and engagement with law enforcement, advocates and other subject matter experts, to develop and consolidate resources on the best practices in policing,” Gupta said at the time of that announcement.