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 County of Barnwell, South Carolina will receive $125,000 through September 2027 under a Project Grant from the Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services Program. The grant funds will support the COPS Hiring Program's goal of advancing community policing through additional law enforcement staffing. Specifically, the County will use the funding to hire and rehire career law officers to increase its community policing capacity and help prevent and disrupt crime and violence. The COPS Hiring Program aims to enhance public safety by assisting state and local law enforcement agencies in hiring or rehiring additional career law enforcement officers in accordance with the community policing model.

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.