WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined 29 Senate colleagues in urging the Senate Committee on Appropriations to fund the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program at a minimum of $270 million for Fiscal Year 2026.
Amid a nationwide shortage of police officers, the COPS Hiring Program is critical for keeping communities safe and reducing taxpayer costs related to crime by providing funding directly to law enforcement agencies to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
“The COPS Hiring Program represents a fiscally responsible solution to ensure that our communities remain safe. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts,” the Senators wrote.
“When officers establish a presence on their patrols using community-policing principles, they can develop positive relationships with the communities they serve. In turn, these relationships increase law enforcement’s ability to solve local crimes and resolve public safety problems,” the Senators continued. “This proactive approach to policing prevents crime from occurring, saving taxpayers the high societal costs associated with crime, incarceration, and services for victims.”
“The ongoing crime and violence across the country demonstrates the vital need for increased police protection in our communities,” the Senators concluded. “Therefore, as you determine the funding levels for this program, we ask that you support funding for the COPS Hiring Program at the highest possible level.”
The letter was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and supported by the National Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
Read the full letter HERE.
6/2/25