This transfer took place on December 10, 1998. As shown in table 1, as of September 30, 1999, 430 (or approximately 43 percent) of the approved 1,007 participant positions had been filled. According to federal and state officials, two of the factors that contributed to this slow start were that (1) COPS dedicated insufficient staff to implement the program, which resulted in delays in providing program guidance and backlogs in processing program applications and reimbursements and (2) the Police Corps statute did not provide funding for states’ administrative or recruiting costs, which slowed program growth in some states and led several states to decline to participate in the program. The Police Corps statute states, “There is established in the Department of Justice, under the general authority of the Attorney General, an Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education,” and the statute lays out the responsibilities of the Office. Statutory Language Led COPS to Operate the Police Corps as a Direct Reimbursement Program, Which Made Determining Program Status Difficult

Under COPS, the Police Corps program was operated as a direct reimbursement program. According to DOJ’s Associate Attorney General, COPS based its decision to operate the Police Corps program as a direct reimbursement on the language in the provisions of the statute itself. Under direct reimbursement, funds were not considered obligated when state plans were approved. Instead, COPS considered funds obligated only when an individual check had been sent to a participating college or university, in-service Police Corps officer, approved training provider, or police department. OJP Has Obligated Police Corps Funds More Quickly and Is Making Funds Available for Administration and Recruiting

Upon assuming responsibility for the Police Corps program in December 1998, OJP increased the Police Corps staff from five  to seven positions with the intention of allowing faster processing of applications and response to participants’ questions. As of September 30, 1999, OJP had obligated $51.3 million of these available funds, which left $31.1 million still unobligated. As a part of its interagency agreements with state lead agencies, OJP has begun to make formula-based payments to state lead agencies that can be used to help defray their administrative and recruiting costs. OJP is doing this under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 3788(b), which allows it to enter into interagency agreements with states on a reimbursable basis. 3788(b) did not apply to the COPS office, this method of making reimbursements was not available to COPS. Conclusions

Under COPS, implementation of the Police Corps program got off to a slower than expected start, and the majority of participant slots remained unfilled. 7. 8. 9. 10. 13. 14.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Justice's (DOJ) implementation of the Police Corps program under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office and, more recently, the Office of Justice Programs.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) the Police Corps program got off to a slower than expected start resulting in the majority of participant slots remaining unfilled; (2) as of September 30, 1999, 433 of the 1,007 participant positions funded for fiscal years 1996 through 1998 had been filled; (3) according to federal and state officials, two of the factors that contributed to this slow start were as follows: (a) COPS dedicated insufficient staff to the Police Corps program, which led to delays in providing program guidance, processing program applications and payments, and answering participants' questions about the program; and (b) the Police Corps statute did not provide funding to pay states' costs for program administration or for recruitment and selection of program participants; (4) COPS operation of the Police Corps as a direct reimbursement program made determining program status difficult, as it slowed the rate at which funds were obligated; (5) according to a DOJ official, COPS based its decision to operate the Police Corps program as a direct reimbursement program on the language of the statute; (6) under direct reimbursement, funds were not considered obligated when state plans were approved; (7) instead, COPS considered funds obligated only when an individual check had been sent to a college or university, in-service Police Corps officer, approved law enforcement training provider, or participating police department; (8) on December 10, 1998, responsibility for the Police Corps program was transferred from COPS to OJP; (9) OJP devoted seven full-time staff positions to process program applications and payments and respond to participant queries faster; (10) under the authority granted OJP under 42 U.S.C. 3788(b), which allowed OJP to enter into interagency agreements with states on a reimbursable basis, OJP opted, through the use of such agreements, to make a formula payment that can be used to help defray states' recruiting and administrative costs; (11) this authority was not available to COPS; (12) while these interagency agreements only recently went into effect, they should make money more readily available to states trying to implement their Police Corps programs; (13) as of September 30, 1999, OJP had obligated $51.3 million of the $82.4 million available to the program; and (14) it is too early to determine the effects of the transfer of the Police Corps program from COPS to OJP on the factors contributing to the slow start.