News Release

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) Tuesday voted to restore funding for “COPS,” a federal grant program proven to reduce crime by helping local law enforcement agencies put more police on the beat.

The bill, H.R. 1700, authorizes funding for the hiring of an additional 50,000 police officers over the next six years.  It passed the House by a large bipartisan majority.

“The COPS program has been an enormous success since its creation in 1994 during the Clinton Administration,” said Spratt.  “Unfortunately, the Republican Congress began phasing out funding to hire new police officers in 2003 and eliminated the program completely in 2006.  I’m pleased to help bring it back.  It’s been a big plus for local law enforcement in South Carolina.”

Spratt said that from 1995 to 2005, South Carolina received $105 million in COPS grants, which allowed the state to hire an additional 1,118 police officers.

“Crime went down under COPS,” said Spratt.  “It works.”

According to a study by the General Accountability Office (GAO), “COPS-funded increases in sworn officers per capita were associated with declines in rates of total index crimes, violent crimes, and property crime.”  The study reported that COPS grants were responsible for reducing crimes by about 200,000 to 225,000 crimes – one third of which were violent.

“A few extra officers on the beat can make a big difference,” said Spratt.  “I am a long-time supporter of COPS.  I was pleased to vote for it and see it pass the House.”

The bill won the endorsement of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities.

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