YourVoice.Now Summary
Criminal Justice & Due ProcessWorkers & JobsTransparency & AccountabilitySmall-town police could get federal grants for de-escalation training, officer mental health care, and hiring bonuses.
Criminal Justice & Due Process
Towns, counties, and tribes with fewer than 175 officers could use grants for de-escalation training. That teaches officers to slow a situation down so less force, or none, is needed.
Grants could pay for proven training on deadly and non-deadly force. They could also cover training on an officer's duty to step in when another officer crosses the line.
Workers & Jobs
Small departments could use grants for signing bonuses in any amount they set. Retention bonuses are capped at 20% of pay, for officers with 5+ years, no serious misconduct, and a 3-year stay pledge.
Grants could pay for counseling, peer support, family support, and trauma care for officers, including through telehealth.
Officers studying mental health, public health, or social work could get a stipend. It is capped at $10,000 or what the officer pays, whichever is less.
Transparency & Accountability
Within 60 days of paying a signing or retention bonus, the town must post the amount on its website and tell the Justice Department. The Attorney General would report all bonuses to Congress each year.
The Justice Department's inspector general would audit some grant users every year. A town that misspent money and did not fix it within 12 months could not get these grants for 3 years.
More about this bill
Small police departments could get federal money to train officers, hire them, and keep them. The grants would go to towns, counties, and tribes with fewer than 175 officers. Congress would allow up to $50 million a year, from 2027 through 2031. The Justice Department's community policing office would run the program. Money could pay for training on calming tense scenes, domestic violence calls, and use of force. It could also pay for signing bonuses, mental health care for officers, and up to $10,000 toward a graduate degree. A retention bonus could not top 20% of pay. It would go only to officers with at least 5 years on the job and no serious misconduct. Towns would have to post each bonus amount online. The inspector general would audit grant users each year. A town that misused funds and did not fix it would be shut out for 3 years.
Congressional Summary
Invest to Protect Act of 2025 This bill directs the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to award grants to local and tribal governments that employ fewer than 175 law enforcement officers. Grant funds may be used for various activities, including to provide de-escalation training and improve recruitment and retention.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-04-08
- Date Added
- 2026-09-25
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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