Federal Grant Award Summary

Oconee County received a $250,000 Project Grant award from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) under the COPS Hiring Program (CFDA 16.068), effective October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2030. This five-year award funds the hiring and/or rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers to enhance the county's community policing capacity and crime prevention capabilities. The grant supports Oconee County's efforts to implement community-oriented policing strategies that address public safety needs in the Walhalla, South Carolina area.

Under this award, Oconee County will focus on engagement in planned community partnerships, implementation of projects to analyze and assess public safety problems, and implementation of organizational changes to strengthen community policing operations. The anticipated outcomes include increased agency capacity to conduct community policing activities and enhanced crime prevention efforts. Oconee County is required to submit semiannual programmatic performance reports and quarterly Federal Financial Reports throughout the award period, and must participate in monitoring activities conducted by the COPS Office and the Department of Justice to ensure compliance with program requirements and effective utilization of federal funds.