Justice department releases $58 million in solicitations to combat the distribution of illicit drugs and improve officer wellness

The Justice Department announced that the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has released approximately $58 million in three grant solicitations that will advance community policing, help combat the dual scourges of opioid and methamphetamine use, and promote the health and safety of our nation’s law enforcement officers.

“The grant solicitations announced today will help law enforcement agencies in their continuing struggles on two fronts – fighting against the public health and safety crisis of illegal drug use, and safeguarding the mental health and wellness of our law enforcement officers,” said Acting Director Robert Chapman of the COPS Office. “The COPS Office is pleased to make these resources available that will not only help to protect our nation’s citizens, but also the law enforcement officers who do so much to protect them.”

The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program provides funding to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other promising practices for wellness programs. The program will fund projects that develop knowledge, increase awareness of effective mental health and wellness strategies, increase the skills and abilities of law enforcement, and increase the number of law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders using wellness programs.

The COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force Program advances public safety by providing funds directly to state law enforcement to locate and investigate illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids. Funding is available only to state law enforcement agencies with primary law enforcement authority over heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids seizures and investigations.

The COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program advances public safety by providing funds directly to state law enforcement agencies to investigate illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. Funds must be used to locate or investigate illicit activities such as precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine traffickers.

For more information on COPS Office funding, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/grants.

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