Bill Overview
Title: Tribal COPS Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish a program to award grants to Indian tribes for increasing the capabilities of law enforcement agencies.
Sponsors: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1]
Target Audience
Population: American Indian or Alaska Native individuals in the United States
Estimated Size: 9700000
- The bill focuses on awarding grants to Indian tribes which implies the primary beneficiaries are members of these tribes.
- These grants are intended to increase the capabilities of law enforcement agencies within these tribes.
- There are currently 574 federally recognized Indian tribes in the United States.
- The total population of individuals identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, alone or in combination with other races, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, is approximately 9.7 million.
- Since the purpose of the grants is to enhance law enforcement, it can reasonably be assumed that all tribal members would be indirectly impacted by improved safety and policing.
- Practically all American Indians and Alaska Natives residing on tribal lands or in tribal communities in the United States stand to be impacted.
Reasoning
- The Tribal COPS Act primarily impacts members of federally recognized tribes, as the grants are targeted at enhancing law enforcement on tribal lands.
- Most interviews should include individuals from these communities while having some from general U.S. population for a balanced view.
- The impact on wellbeing understood through perceived law enforcement improvements and general community safety.
- Consideration of diverse tribal communities across U.S. with unique challenges and needs, potentially affecting how benefits are perceived and realized.
- Budget limitations suggest that not all tribes may receive considerable initial impact, but scaling over years potentially increases reach.
- Including interviews where individuals see no or indirect benefits helps understand indirect cost or community perception shifts.
Simulated Interviews
Tribal police officer (Navajo Nation, Arizona)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is crucial for recruiting more officers and reducing crime on the reservation.
- I hope it leads to better equipment and training for our department.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Rancher (Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe that better policing will help reduce theft and vandalism around my ranch.
- There are concerns about how the funds will be distributed among tribes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Lawyer (San Francisco, California)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strengthening law enforcement can be a double-edged sword; it needs to accompany community dialogue.
- I am cautiously optimistic, hoping it will bring about constructive changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I remember times when police help was too far for emergencies in our village.
- Hoping for quicker response times with this funding.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Teacher (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support policy changes that positively impact Native communities, easing pressure on tribal police.
- I'm concerned if urban areas will see any benefit directly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Health worker (Cherokee, North Carolina)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Community safety would enable us to conduct more outreach without fear.
- Increased safety can improve health outcomes indirectly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
College student (Window Rock, Arizona)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hoping this policy will increase our department's capacity allowing for internships.
- It's critical for future law enforcement to have modern resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Billings, Montana)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Indirect benefits could arise from safer communities, meaning better business climate.
- I'm not directly impacted, but stability is always beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Community organizer (Choctaw Nation, Oklahoma)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Safety improvements could help reduce youth crime rates and involvement.
- Policy implementation needs transparent allocation processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Retired veteran (Miami, Florida)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I won't see direct impacts, the security of my relatives in tribal regions is important.
- Policies such as these need to be prioritized to provide systemic support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $400000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $500000000)
Year 2: $410000000 (Low: $310000000, High: $510000000)
Year 3: $420000000 (Low: $320000000, High: $520000000)
Year 5: $440000000 (Low: $340000000, High: $540000000)
Year 10: $480000000 (Low: $380000000, High: $580000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- The capacity and readiness of tribes to fully utilize and deploy the funds to improve law enforcement capabilities.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of funds given the variability in size and needs of different tribes.
- Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the grants in achieving desired law enforcement improvements.
- Inter-agency cooperation for seamless program implementation and support.