The Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs provide support for community policing. Last week, three new funding opportunities were announced in support of COPS.

• The COPS Hiring Program will provide funds to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies for 3 years to hire entry level career law enforcement officers. The program is design to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

• The COPS Community Policing Development Program will provide funds for 2-year activities aimed at advancing the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies. Activities may include training, technical assistance, demonstration projects, applied research, the development of guidebooks and best practices, etc. Virtually all entities are eligible to apply.

• The COPS Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance will provide funds to support technical assistance to law enforcement agencies on a wide range of criminal justice issues. Virtually all entities are eligible to apply.

Applications for all three opportunities are due on June 23, 2014.