Biden budget proposes $265 million more for community oriented policing

President Joe Biden has taken the first step to increase the budget of the Community Oriented Policing Program, which helps localities implement community-based policing practices that seek to address the potential for crime.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services was created by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. For fiscal year 2021, it was allocated $386 million.

In his fiscal year 2022 budget request, released in May, Biden asked for $651 million, an increase of $265 million.

The budget proposal seeks an increase of $300 million for the COPS Hiring Program to help hire more law enforcement professionals. (The net increase would be $265 million because $35 million would be cut elsewhere.)

The additional money would include:

• $53 million for school violence prevention 

• $46 million for tribal programs

• $8 million for law enforcement mental health and wellness;

• $15 million for anti-methamphetamine task forces

• $35 million for anti-heroin task forces

There is no guarantee that Congress will go along with the levels laid out in Biden's budget proposal; spending legislation will take months to determine. In addition, the $265 million increase is a bit less than the $300 million increase Biden proposed during the campaign.

Still, it's a significant down payment on Biden's campaign promise, so we rate the promise In the Works.