WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement caucus, successfully pushed increased funding for critical law enforcement programs in the annual spending bill for the Department of Justice.  The spending bill, which Senator Coons helped pass through the Appropriations Committee yesterday, will now go before the full Senate.

“Supporting Delaware law enforcement and keeping our communities safe is one of my top priorities, but to do that, the federal government needs to provide strong federal funding in the annual spending bills,” said Senator Coons.  “The Appropriations process is far from over, but I’m very glad that we were able to boost funding for critical law enforcement programs in the Appropriations Committee.”

Below are the FY 2016 funding levels passed yesterday by Senator Coons and the Appropriations Committee for select law enforcement programs:

Bulletproof Vest Partnership: $22.5 million

According to the Government Accountability Office, bulletproof vests have saved the lives of more than 3,000 law enforcement officers since 1987, including two Delaware Capitol Police Officers at the NCC Courthouse. The Bulletproof Vest Partnership has helped law enforcement officers in 13,000 jurisdictions purchase over one million lifesaving vests that their departments would not have been able to afford otherwise.  In recent years, demand for bulletproof vests has been outpacing funding for the program.

COPS hiring program: $187 million ($6.5 million increase from 2015 bill)

The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive grant that provides funding directly to state and local law enforcement agencies to hire or re-hire additional officers in support of community policing and crime prevention efforts.  Awardees may receive up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of each newly hired and/or rehired full-time officer, up to $125,000 per officer position, over a three-year grant period. 

STOP Violence Against Women grants: $215 million ($20 million above 2015 bill)

The STOP (Services Training Officers and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant program promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing advocacy and improving the criminal justice system's response to violent crimes against women. It encourages the development and improvement of effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development and improvement of advocacy and services in cases involving violent crimes against women. The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program is a subgrant provided by the Criminal Justice Council which provides funding to operate a victim services program in New Castle and Kent counties in Delaware.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grants: $382 million ($8 million above 2015 bill)

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program supports all components of the criminal justice system from multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment and justice information sharing initiatives.  In Delaware, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program provides funding to reduce gang violence and prevent/limit the recruitment of new gangs through intelligence-based policing.  The grant also supports an increased awareness for local law enforcement of gangs and related criminal activity and provides assistance, where needed, to standardize training across each of the participating states and cities in gang recognition and prevention. 

Victims of Child Abuse Act: $20 million ($9 million above the President’s budget request)

The Victims of Child Abuse Act provides funding to local Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country, the four Regional Children’s Advocacy Center programs, the National Children’s Alliance, the National Children’s Advocacy Center, and other essential programs serving child abuse victims.  Continued funding for this program ensures that Delaware’s three CACs and those across the country continue to help victims of child abuse.

Child Abuse Training Programs: $3 million (Double the 2015 amount)

These funds are used to support specialized training for judges to oversee family violence, foster care and child welfare matters and ensure the protection of vulnerable children and families. These training programs help ensure that courts in Delaware and across the U.S. are effectively serving victims of abuse, their children, and their families. 

###