FR 2025-01393

The document from the Federal Register details a request for public comments on a new information collection initiative titled the COPS Community Policing Advancement Performance Report. This initiative is managed by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice. The report aims to gather data from law enforcement agencies that benefit from Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant funding. The report's purpose is to enhance community policing efforts across the nation.

General Overview

The notice invites feedback from the public within a 30-day window, concluding on February 21, 2025. The invitation for comments is extended as part of the requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, which seeks to minimize the burden of federal information collection requests. The agencies are particularly interested in understanding the practicality, utility, and impact of the data collection on the involved organizations.

Significant Issues and Concerns

One noteworthy concern is the estimated time required for respondents to complete the report: 11 hours. For many law enforcement agencies, especially those with limited resources, this might constitute a significant time burden. The document suggests that this process could benefit from simplification or streamlining to reduce the effort required from participants.

Furthermore, the report states there are no additional costs expected from the completion of the collection, yet it does not provide a detailed rationale for this. This could be seen as an oversight that might need closer examination to ensure that all potential financial impacts have been properly considered.

Additionally, while the document encourages minimizing response burdens by leveraging technology, the complex language used throughout may obscure the process and expectations, potentially deterring engagement from intended stakeholders.

Broad Impact on the Public

The successful implementation of this information collection could positively influence community policing by allowing for data-driven improvements to practice and policy. However, the time and effort involved may discourage smaller law enforcement agencies from participating, thus skewing the data towards larger departments with more available resources.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

Law enforcement agencies are the primary stakeholders affected by this initiative. Those already receiving COPS grant funding are expected to participate, which could enhance their policing strategies if the data collected is used effectively. However, the time required might temporarily divert resources from day-to-day operations, particularly in smaller jurisdictions.

For the public, the broader engagement in community policing through this report could potentially lead to more responsive and well-informed law enforcement practices. Nonetheless, this hinges on meaningful participation from agencies and effective use of the collected data by the Department of Justice.

In summary, while the initiative holds promise for advancing community policing, it is crucial that the process be as accessible and efficient as possible so that all applicable agencies can contribute and benefit equitably. Ensuring this might require reevaluating the process's complexity and associated time commitments, as well as providing clear and straightforward instructions to maximize participation from intended respondents.

In this Federal Register notice from the Department of Justice, the financial elements primarily focus on the projected costs associated with the information collection activity of the COPS Community Policing Advancement Performance Report. The notice specifies that there is a $0 total estimated annual other costs burden linked to this initiative. This aspect is particularly noteworthy as it suggests that apart from the time investment, no additional financial costs are anticipated for the respondents or possibly for the agency administering this data collection.

Summary of Financial Allocations

The document details the financial cost considerations related to the new information collection by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Specifically, it states that there are no other direct monetary expenses anticipated. This indicates an absence of additional financial allocations needed for this initiative, beyond the time resource investment required from law enforcement agencies that choose to participate.

Relation to Identified Issues

This specific lack of any estimated additional financial burden raises several points for consideration:

1. Complexity and Efficiency Concerns: The significant time commitment mentioned (11 hours per respondent) to complete the application process appears disconnected from the lack of financial cost. This might imply an inefficient process that potentially incurs hidden costs in terms of labor or operational adjustments within participating agencies, even though no direct monetary expenses are listed.

2. Assumptions on Cost Estimations: The assertion that there are no expected additional costs might overlook indirect costs that could arise, such as logistical or administrative expenses tied to the data collection process at the agency level. This might warrant further assessment to validate the assumption of a $0 additional cost.

3. Clear Communication: The document's financial assessment could benefit from clearer explanations, perhaps addressing why no additional costs are considered necessary. Greater transparency in how these financial estimates are reached would aid in understanding and evaluating the proposed collection’s overall financial impact.

Overall, while the financial references in this document are minimal, indicating no overt costs beyond time, these assumptions should be scrutinized to ensure that all possible expenses are accounted for, thus ensuring a transparent and efficient process for the involved public entities.