FY 1998 Police Recruitment Program

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

28 CFR Part 92

RIN 1105-AA58

FY 1998 Police Recruitment Program

AGENCY: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Department of

Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule adopts without change an interim rule published by

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

Justice, in the Federal Register on September 21, 1998, which

established a framework for the Police Recruitment Project, authorized

by the Police Recruitment Act, Subtitle H of the Violent Crime Control

and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. No comments were received before the

comment period expired on October 21, 1998.

DATES: Final rule is effective on June 18, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Department of Justice Response

Center at 1-800-421-6770 or (202) 307-1480, or Rob Chapman, Office of

Community Oriented Policing Services, at (202) 633-1295.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this rule is to provide

guidance to the non-profit community groups interested in applying to

participate in the Police Recruitment Program. The rule addresses

program purposes and goals, and project and eligibility requirements.

The rule is not intended to be a comprehensive compilation of the

administrative requirements of the Police Recruitment Program. Other

program requirements and procedures will be formulated by the

participating community organizations and police departments in light

of their circumstances and needs.

The rule amends 28 CFR part 92 by designating existing Secs. 92.1

through 92.6 as subpart A to read as follows: ``Police Corps

Eligibility and Selection Criteria.'' The rule further amends 28 CFR

part 92 by adding subpart B to read as follows: ``Police Recruitment

Program Guidelines.''

Overview

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

of Justice, administers the Police Recruitment Program. This program is

designed to develop pilot projects to meet the ongoing need for

additional improvement in recruiting, selecting and retaining police

officer applicants. The Police Recruitment program will make grants to

a limited number of qualified community organizations to assist in

meeting the cost of qualified programs designed to recruit and retain

applicants to police departments.

To do this, applicants under this program are expected to utilize

innovative and effective methods in meeting the program guidelines.

Successful applicants will be funded for a total of up to $500,000 for

a one-year grant period only, though two additional years of no-cost

extensions will be permitted.

The successful applicants funded under the Police Recruiment

program will ultimately design programs to enhance opportunities and

increase inroads for individuals within their local police agencies.

These advances will be accomplished through a variety of methods,

including, but not limited to, targeted recruitment efforts; tutorial

programs to enable individuals to meet police force academic

requirements and pass entrance examinations; counseling for those

applicants who may encounter problems throughout the application

process; and programs to aid in the retention of these applicants

throughout the application and hiring process.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services,

in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, codified at 5 U.S.C.

605(b), has reviewed this regulation and, by approving it, certifies

that this regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities. This Final Rule builds upon the

statutory outline of a program providing federal grant assistance to

programs sponsored by non-profit organizations providing recruiting and

retention services to police department applicants. The award of such

grants imposes no significant economic impacts on substantial numbers

of small businesses or other entities.

Executive Order 12866

This regulation has been drafted and reviewed in accordance with

Executive Order 12866, section 1(b), Principles of Regulation. The

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has determined that this

Final Rule is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order

12866, section 3(f), Regulatory Planning and Review, and accordingly

this rule ha not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.

Executive Order 12612

This regulation will not have substantial direct effects on the

States, on the relationship between the national government and the

States, or on distribution of power and responsibilities among the

various levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with Executive

Order 12612, it is determined that this rule does not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism

Assessment.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and

tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of

$100,000,000 or more in any one year, and it will not significantly or

uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed

necessary under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of

1995.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

This rule is not a major rule as defined by section 804 of the

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This rule

will not result in an annual effect on the economy of $100,000,000 or

more; a major increase in costs or prices; or significant adverse

effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity,

innovation, or on the ability of United States-based companies to

compete with foreign-based companies in domestic and export markets.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The interim rule is not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act

requirements because the information collected as part of the grant

application process will be collected from fewer than ten respondents.

List of Subjects in 28 CFR Part 92

Law enforcement officers, Scholarships and fellowships.

Accordingly, the interim rule amending 28 CFR part 92 by

redesignating existing Secs. 92.1 through 92.6 as subpart A and adding

subpart B, which was published in the Federal

[[Page 32807]]

Register on September 21, 1998, at 63 FR 50145, is adopted as a final

rule without change.

Dated: June 1, 1999.

John Hart,

Principal Deputy Director.

[FR Doc. 99-15203 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]

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