Ahead of Police Week, Graham Reintroduces Bill to Bolster Rural Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, reintroduced the COPS on the Beat Grant Program Parity Act of 2023 to make it easier for law enforcement agencies in rural and low income areas to access Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs.

The legislation amends the COPS program to allow rural, lower income communities to use COPS hiring grant funding to increase law enforcement wages and puts all law enforcement agencies on a level playing field by removing the preference for agencies who can afford a higher match than required.

“Rural America has many challenges, policing among them,” said Graham. “This bill would increase access to much-needed grant money to assist rural law enforcement agencies in recruiting and retaining the brave men and women who wear the badge.”

The legislation has received support from major law enforcement organizations, including Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and National Association of Police Organizations.

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