Homeland Security Overtime Program (HSOP)

The COPS Homeland Security Overtime Program (HSOP) was designed to supplement grantee agencies' state or locally funded officer overtime budgets, thereby increasing the amount of overtime funding available to support community policing and homeland security efforts. HSOP offers state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies the opportunity to supplement their officer overtime budgets for a period of one year.

HSOP grants can be used to pay officer overtime during homeland security training sessions and other law enforcement activities that are designed to help prevent acts of terrorism and other violent or drug-related crimes. HSOP funds may support the overtime efforts of non-supervisory, sworn personnel such as intelligence officers, crime analysts, undercover officers, and others who work on homeland security or terrorism task forces.

Departments receiving HSOP awards are required to contribute at least 25 percent in local matching funds. HSOP grants may only be used for non-supervisory, sworn personnel and may not be applied towards civilian or reserve officer costs. In addition, HSOP grants cannot be used to reimburse agencies for past overtime expenditures, and agencies cannot rely on the availability of HSOP funding to reduce the amount of state or local funds budgeted for officer overtime in their current or future budget cycles.

The COPS HSOP announcement took place in September 2003, awarding approximately $60 million to a total of 294 agencies in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

See also:

• HSOP Fact Sheet
• HSOP Grant Owner's Manual
• Grant Announcements