Law Enforcement and the Economy
Law Enforcement and the Economy
A recent poll by the Police Executive Research Forum found that more than half the agencies questioned have been affected by funding cuts during the past few months. Although the economic stimulus package had billions of dollars in relief for law enforcement, smart agencies had to find ways to stretch their budget dollars. Police1 presents the following news articles, tips and resources to help police officers out during the economic downturn.
Deciphering the secret language of grants
By Denise Schlegel, Police Grants Columnist
Grant writing! The very thought it can make you want to run away. Has someone ever placed a request for proposal on your desk, demanding that you be the one to write the grant and get the money so that the organization or program can keep on going? How are you as a member of the law enforcement community going to find that kind of time? Here are a few tips to help you get started
Related columns on grant writing:
- Get a head start: Prepare for grant writing
- Common reasons LE grant applications are denied
- Tips and tricks for finding private funding for police
- Gathering the right data to write a grant
- Building blocks of your grant proposal
- Update on ARRA funding for police departments
Crime and the Economic Crisis
Most police departments will agree that with less money to put officers on the streets, and as the economy gets worse, the nation will see an increase in crime. The following articles discuss a growing trend in crime and violence due to the financial crisis.
- Economic recession breeding more bank robbers
- Md. dad who killed family had $450K debt
- Police concerned about rise in family slayings
- Mo. man suspected of killing entire family in Kansas
- Man kills wife, 5 children, himself over job troubles
- Six die in L.A. family murder-suicide
- Va. cops warn budget cuts will harm the public
- Mo. officials warn that police budget cuts will bring problems, increase crime
- N.J. town's police force shrinks amid high crime
- States urged to improve probation, parole programs
- Ohio authorities question whether city can stay safe with fewer officers
- Sheriff wants more deputies, cars to keep up with uptick in crime
Budgets and Cutbacks
As the economy struggles, departments face the challenge of paying their officers Agencies have also cut back on training and purchasing new gear, which risks officers' safety. Read the following articles to learn about what departments across the nation have been dealing with.
- Police forces criticize grant funding given by location
- Police feel sting of recession: Departments pare programs, purchases to keep cops on streets
- State police forces shrinking across nation
- Feds announce $30 million in grants to border agencies
- In small towns, single-cop hires make a difference
- COPS stimulus going to one in seven agencies
- Police aid a 'blessing' for departments receiving COPS grant
- Ohio state patrol facing cash crunch
- Police seeking record aid to avoid layoffs
- Chiefs cope with complex applications to get stimulus funds
- Police officers saved by stimulus may still lose jobs
- House vote expands Clinton-era police program
- Law enforcement academies still thriving, despite recession
- N.M. mayor gives his salary to local PD
- NYPD swamped with recruit candidates, despite reduced budget
- Calif. mayoral candidates clash on merging police departments
- Ga. officers will get paid to purchase homes
- Recession continues to limit, cut police services
In-Depth Coverage
Budget cuts and economic crisis increase crime, endanger officers. Nearly half
of the agencies surveyed since the collapse of the nation's financial markets
link increases in criminal offenses to the economy, a new review by an LE
research group shows...
Full Story
Finding the money for communications interoperability purchases. Agencies seeking
to increase their communications technology equipment should turn to the
Byrne/JAG program, as well as a few more creative alternatives...
Full Story
Cutting back on training? Re-think that idea. Police training is typically one of
the first fatalities during budget cuts, and in today’s economy you
can bet that class after class is falling behind...
Full Story
"Hypermiling" the LE way Agencies will continue to struggle with the finances
of doing what cops do every day: drive. While everyone feels the impact of
gas prices, agencies, responsible for fueling fleets of vehicles, are hard-hit...
is falling behind ...
Full Story
Writing technology purchases into your grant proposals. A little research on the
part of a person directly working with the technology can go a long way in
clarifying miscommunications about to how and what the worker (the officer)
needs from his or her technology...
Full Story
Train your troops with Federal stimulus funds. Kate O’Donnell of
Police Grants and Training Initiatives reassured us all that federal stimulus money flowing to the law enforcement
community can be applied toward training...
Full Story
Police Grants
PoliceGrantsHelp is a grants resource and community for LEOs that features the most extensive LE grant database available.
Featured Grant:
- Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program
- Search for Police Grants
- Grant Resources
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Tips for Tight Times
Note: Some of these tips may be secure and will require member login. 
- Cheap solution to a spitting problem
- A cost-effective fix for slippery fingers
- Budget conscious sniper tip
- Low-cost car entry tolls of convenience
- Cheap way to safely transport needles
- Telescoping mirrors: Simple, affordable and life-saving
- Prevent being locked in/out for just $5
- A $1 solution for microphone issues
- Low-cost dome light modifications
- Glass breaking made cheaper
- Using fire equipment for police calls
- Thrifty way to keep equipment in place
- Meeting mobile printing needs for under $100
- $10 way to be prepared for vehicle rescues
- Don't toss your expired vest, use it to keep yourself safer
- Getting the most use out of departmental equipment
- Hit the surplus store to prevent rust
- Building a shoot house on a shoestring budget