FY26 Safer Outcomes Program

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing and the Administration’s priority of Making America Safe Again by supporting the nation’s state, local, territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the FY26 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement Program. This opportunity seeks to promote safe outcomes during police encounters through relevant training. Awards will be made to entities seeking to implement training and related supports. Training is supported for law enforcement officers, support personnel employed by law enforcement agencies, and associated mental health professionals working on crisis intervention teams as employees of a law enforcement agency or under a legal agreement with a law enforcement agency. Training programs and related funding requests must address one of more of the areas of focus listed below: 1. De-escalation tactics and alternatives to use of force. For purposes of this funding opportunity, the term “de-escalation” means taking action or communicating verbally or nonverbally during a potential force encounter in an attempt to stabilize the situation and reduce the immediacy of the threat so that more time, options, and resources can be called upon to resolve the situation without the use of force or with a reduction in the force necessary. 2. Safely responding to an individual experiencing a mental or behavioral health or suicidal crisis. Such a crisis is one in which the behavior of a person puts the person at risk of hurting himself or herself or others or impairs or prevents the person from being able to care for himself or herself or function effectively in the community. This also includes situations in which a person is under the influence of a drug or alcohol, is suicidal, or...