This National Police Week, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) reintroduced their Strong Communities Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill to address staffing shortages in police departments across the country. The legislation prioritizes recruiting officers who live in the communities they serve, helping departments continue to build strong, trusted relationships with local residents. 

Specifically, the bill would authorize the use of existing funds from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program to establish competitive grants for state and local law enforcement agencies. These funds would be used to recruit and train new officers, with a focus on hiring individuals who are already part of the communities they will serve.

 “As police departments across the country continue to face critical shortages of officers, we must provide local departments with the support they need to recruit from their own communities,” said Congresswoman Ross. "Officers who live in the communities they serve are better positioned to build trust and meaningful relationships with the people they are sworn to protect. This National Police Week, I’m proud to work with Congressman Moran on this bipartisan legislation and remain committed to giving our local law enforcement officers the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

 “Law enforcement officers make significant sacrifices each and every day to protect our communities, often at great personal risk to themselves,” said Congressman Moran. “The Strong Communities Act of 2025, introduced during National Police Week, recognizes the commitment of our law enforcement by authorizing the use of grant funding to recruit and train individuals from the communities they call home. By investing in local talent, our legislation strengthens trust between law enforcement and their local communities, bolsters officer retention, and helps ensure law enforcement have the resources they need."

Bill text is available here.