Does my agency have to certify that it will retain positions awarded if it applies for COPS Hiring Recovery Program funds?
Yes, at the time of grant application, your agency must affirm that it plans to retain the positions and identify the planned source(s) of retention funding. We understand that your agencys source(s) of retention funding may change during the life of the grant. Your agency should maintain explanatory documentation of any changes in the event of an audit, monitoring or other evaluation of your grant compliance. CHRP grantees are required to retain all officer positions awarded for at least one year from the time that the 36 months of grant funding for each CHRP position expires. The additional officer positions should be added to your agencys law enforcement budget with state and/or local funds, over and above the number of locally-funded officer positions that would have existed in the absence of the grant. Absorbing CHRP-funded officers through attrition (rather than adding the extra positions to your budget with additional funding) does not meet the retention requirement.
