Summary: The Community Policing Act of 1994 set aside $8.8 billion through 2000 to strengthen public safety, including putting 100,000 additional police officers on the streets nationwide. This testimony reports on the COPS grant program midway through its six-year authorization. GAO found that COPS grants were not targeted on the basis of greatest need for assistance. However, the higher the crime rate, the more likely a jurisdiction was to apply for a COPS grant. COPS office grant monitoring was limited. Monitoring guidelines were not prepared, site visits and telephone monitoring did not systematically take place, and information on activities and accomplishments was not consistently collected or reviewed. Small communities were awarded most COPS office grants, but large cities received larger awards. In accordance with the act, about half the funds were awarded to agencies serving populations of less than 150,000. As of June 1997, a total of 30,155 law enforcement positions funded by COPS grants were estimated to be on the street.
