The purpose of the cops hiring program (CHP) program is to advance the practice of community policing through the hire or rehire of additional career law enforcement officers

The City of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania will receive $500,000 under a five-year Project Grant award from the Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services program. The grant funds will support the COPS Hiring Program, which aims to advance community policing through additional law enforcement staffing. Specifically, the City will use the funding to hire and rehire career law enforcement officers to increase its community policing capacity and help prevent and disrupt crime and violence through collaborative community partnerships and problem-solving techniques. The grant aligns with the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants program (CFDA 16.710), which provides assistance to law enforcement agencies to enhance public safety through implementing community policing strategies in coordination with community members.

Funding under this award program will be utilized by local law enforcement agencies to hire and rehire career law enforcement officers necessary to increase the jurisdiction's community policing capacity to prevent and disrupt crime and violence.