Cortez Masto, Grassley push for grants for small police departments

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are pushing to launch a grant program to boost resources for small law enforcement departments across the country.

Dubbed the Invest to Protect Act, the legislation would set aside $250 million over the next five years to help local police invest in training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention.

“Nevada’s small police departments deserve more access to critical funding to keep communities safe,” Cortez Masto said in a statement.

“I’ll always stand up for our law enforcement, and this bipartisan bill is simple – it gets our police in rural, suburban, and Tribal communities the resources they need.”

The funding would be available only to those departments with a maximum of 175 officers. According to law enforcement associations, 90 percent of U.S. police departments have fewer than 50 law enforcement officers.

The funding could be used for a variety of training activities for officers, including how to respond to active shooter situations or those with mental health issues. It would also help with funding graduate degrees in social work and related fields. The funds would also be available for retention bonuses for officers who commit to staying in a small police department for at least another three years.

The funding would be doled out through the existing Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program administered by the Department of Justice.

“Law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation are struggling with low recruitment and retention rates,” Grassley said in a statement.

“Our bipartisan bill would unlock access to critical resources, allowing local law enforcement to grow and strengthen their forces. As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue to protect and support our courageous officers.”

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Rafael Warnock (D-Ga.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) all signed on as co-sponsors.

Updated at 10:38 a.m. EST

Topics

How a small-time drug bust ignited a feud between police and a Catholic hospital

Convinced a suspect was hiding evidence, police in Ohio ordered doctors at Mercy Health-Lorain Hospital to search his body cavity. The doctors refused.
NBC News - 4d
Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’

Opinion editor leaves as Amazon executive and newspaper owner says ‘viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others’. Don’t let a billionaire’s algorithm control what you ...
The Guardian - 20h
Entire Alabama police department put on leave after grand jury recommends its abolition

The mayor of Hanceville, Alabama has placed its entire police department on administrative leave, after a grand jury, said the department was “an ongoing threat to public safety.”
NBC News - 6d
The small caps disappoint

Plus how to ‘monetise’ the US balance sheet
Financial Times - 6d
Big Leadership Change Starts Small

Purpose-driven leaders overcome overwhelm and navigate uncertainty one step at a time.
Inc. - 1d
US to axe grants to 10,000 aid organisations

Decision to cut funding comes after secretary of state Marco Rubio reviews projects ‘on an individualised basis’
Financial Times - 4h
Firings and resignations at the Department of Justice

President Trump says his administration is cleaning up a Justice Department corrupted by politics. Amid the firings and resignations, one leader described a workplace of "confusion" and "fear."
CBS News - 3d
The Cryptocurrency Scam That Turned a Small Town Against Itself

How did a successful, financially sophisticated banker gamble his community’s money away?
The New York Times - Feb. 19
Why the Lakers are betting big on small ball

The Lakers' victory against the Nuggets showcased the potential impact of a small-ball lineup.
Yahoo Sports - 2d