; Whereas a 2013 survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics on law enforcement agencies in the United States found that 27 percent of local police officers are members of a racial or ethnic minority, and that only 1 in 8 local police officers was a woman; Whereas Congress recognizes that hiring and retaining law enforcement officers that are more reflective of the community’s racial and gender makeup it serves and protects is a first step to building trust between communities and law enforcement; Whereas since its inception, the Community Oriented Policing Services Program (COPS) Office has invested approximately $14.7 billion to add officers to the Nation’s streets, enhance crime fighting technology, support crime prevention initiatives, and provide training and technical assistance to help advance community policing; and Whereas Congress recognizes the critical role of the COPS Hiring Program Office in expanding the practice of community-oriented policing to law enforcement departments: Now, therefore, be it