The DOJ's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office will provide $111 million to law enforcement agencies later this year to hire or retain officers or deputies.

This year, agencies requesting new-hire positions must hire military veterans, a program spokesman told POLICE Magazine.

The office is also limiting funding to agencies that submitted applications in 2011 that were unfunded or partially funded. Agencies are limited to a maximum request of 5% of their sworn force or up to 25 officers. Agencies that received partial funding can only apply for the balance of the number of positions they were awarded in 2011.

Agencies requesting new-hire positions must hire a military veteran with an honorable discharge who served on active duty for more than 180 consecutive days after Sept. 11, 2001. Rehire officer positions don't need to be filled with military veterans.

The 2012 grants provide up to 75% of funding with a funding cap of $125,000 per officer position, for approved entry level salaries and fringe benefits of full-time officers for three years. The COPS office may grant a waiver of some or all of an applicant's local match requirement.

The 2012 grant offering is about half of the $243 million provided in 2011. Those grants to 238 law enforcement agencies and municipalities helped create or preserve 1,021 sworn positions.

For more information, visit the COPS website.

Related:

Feds Fund Hiring of 1,000 Local Officers