Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Agency

Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice of information collection under review; analysis

protocol: Enhanced evaluation PSP.

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The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments

from the public and affected agencies. The COPS Office, on behalf of

the Department of Justice has submitted the following information

request utilizing emergency review procedures, to OMB for review and

clearance in accordance with sections 1320.13(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2)(iii)

of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The COPS Office has determined

that it cannot reasonably comply with the normal clearance procedures

under this Part of the Act because normal clearance procedures are

reasonably likely to prevent or disrupt the collection of the

information. Therefore, OMB emergency approval has been requested by

May 11, 1998.

If granted the emergency approval is only valid for 180 days. All

comments and questions pertaining to this pending request for emergency

approval must be directed to OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Attention: Department of Justice Desk Officer (Mr. Dennis

Marvich), Washington, D.C. 20530. Comments regarding the emergency

submission of this information collection may also be submitted to OMB

via facsimile at (202) 395-7285. During the first 60 days of this same

review period, a regular review of this information collection is also

being undertaken. All comments and suggestions, or questions regarding

additional information, to include obtaining a copy of the proposed

information collection instrument with instructions should be directed

to: Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing

Services, 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20530. Your

comments should address one or more of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of

the proposed collection of information, used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those

who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic

submission of responses.

If you have additional comments, suggestions, or need a copy of the

proposed information collection instrument with instructions, or

additional information, please contact Ms. Stacy Curtis, 202-633-1297,

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing

Services, 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20530.

Additionally, comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s)

contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public

burden and associated response time should be submitted to Stacy

Curtis, Social Science Analyst, Office of Community Oriented Policing

Services, 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20530, or via

facsimile at (202) 616-5998.

Overview of this information collection:

(1) Type of Information Collection: New collection.

(2) Type of the Form/Collection: Analysis Protocol: Enhanced

Evaluation PSP.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the

Department of Justice sponsoring the collection: Form: COPS 24/01.

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of

Justice.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as

well as a brief abstract: Local law enforcement agencies that received

a Problem-Solving Partnerships (PSP) grant and that were selected to

participate in an enhanced evaluation of their PSP grant.

The PSP grant is a one-year grant program designed to support local

law enforcement agencies in entering collaborative agreements with non-

profit community-based entities to fight a specific crime problem

through an innovative community policing plan. Grants were awarded to

470 jurisdictions in 1997. As described by the PSP initiative, it was

required that a minimum of 5% of awarded funds be used to assess the

impact of the problem-solving approach on the target problem. Currently

the COPS Office is entering into collaborative agreements with a sub-

group of approximately 15 PSP grantees to fund the implementation of an

enhanced evaluation. This enhanced evaluation will allow the COPS

Office to document the process and outcomes of applying a problem-

solving model to five problem types: auto-theft, loitering/disorderly

conduct, residential burglary, robbery, and street-level drug dealing.

The analysis protocol in consideration covers all areas necessary to

document the processes and outcomes of sites' problem-solving projects.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount

of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: Analysis

Protocol: Enhanced Evaluation PSP: Approximately 120 respondents, at 7

hours per respondent (including record-keeping).

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated

with the collection: Approximately 840 hours.

If additional information is required contact: Mr. Robert B.

Briggs, Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice,

Information Management and Security Staff, Justice Management Division,

Suite 850, Washington Center, 1001 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: April 16, 1998.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 98-10583 Filed 4-21-98; 8:45 am]

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