In late January, the House of Representatives introduced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a piece of legislation aimed at stimulating the U.S. economy. Included in this legislation is $4 billion to support state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies: $3 billion for the Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program and $1 billion for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grants.

In a letter sent to the House of Representatives expressing support for these provisions, the IACP stated, “The IACP strongly believes that, by restoring funding for these critical programs, Congress will significantly strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to combat crime and violence in our communities.”

The House action follows a Senate hearing on the need for law enforcement assistance funds in the stimulus package.