WASHINGTON, DC - US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act of 2026, which would allow qualified nonprofit organizations and state government entities to use Department of Justice grant funding to provide training to small and rural law enforcement agencies at no cost to those agencies.

Nearly half of local police departments in the United States have fewer than 10 sworn officers, three out of four have fewer than two dozen, and eight out of 10 have fewer than 50. Federal law enforcement grants administered by the Department of Justice often carry complex application processes and extensive reporting requirements, and smaller agencies frequently skip applying altogether because they lack the staff and experience to navigate them.

"For too long, federal grant programs have felt out of reach for many small and rural law enforcement agencies," said Lankford. "The grant process can be cumbersome and difficult to navigate, especially for a department with a handful of officers. Our bill fixes this by letting qualified nonprofits carry the paperwork and bring the training directly to small agencies at no cost to them. Small law enforcement agencies should not be cut off from federal grant dollars."

"Every community, including those in places like rural southern Delaware, deserves well-trained law enforcement protection," said Coons. "Rural police departments often have significantly less funding than they need to participate in modern training programs, and we should give them the tools they need to protect and serve their communities."

"Far too often the brave men and women of our nation's law enforcement community, especially those from smaller and rural departments, lack the necessary training to effectively and safely resolve incidents they routinely face in the course of their duties. There is an important need for the federal government to allow for law enforcement officers from small and rural departments to receive proper training for such incidents, both routine and often unfamiliar. The Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act of 2026 will help ensure that law enforcement personnel from smaller and rural departments will have access to the training so vitally important to helping ensure both a proper and effective response to critical incidents and as a result preserving law enforcement and civilian life and security alike. On behalf of the over 40,000 members of the National Tactical Officers Association, I strongly commend Sen. Lankford and Sen. Coons for bringing this important legislation forward," said Thor Eells, Executive Director of the National Tactical Officers Association.

"On behalf of the Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executive's Association, I thank Sen. Lankford and Sen. Coons for introducing this important legislation. The Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act of 2026 will significantly increase the access to critical training for smaller and rural law enforcement departments and agencies nationwide at no additional cost to the taxpayer. By expanding DOJ grant eligibility to validated nonprofit organizations to provide vital training to smaller and rural law enforcement agencies, it will ensure that needed training will be received by law enforcement officials nationwide irrespective of their department's size or resources. This increased training will assist agencies and their respective communities to respond effectively, efficiently, and compassionately to the public they serve," said Mike Brown, Executive Director of the Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executive's Association.

Background

The Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act would allow qualified nonprofit organizations and state government entities to receive Department of Justice law enforcement training grants to deliver training at no cost to agencies with fewer than 50 sworn officers. Eligible training includes de-escalation, officer wellness, leadership development, victim-centered response to domestic violence, critical incident response and management, and evidence-based safety training for active shooter situations, safe handling of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals, rescue operations, and countering ambush attacks.

The bill also covers training for responding to calls involving people with mental health needs, substance use disorders, disabilities, veterans, vulnerable youth, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or trafficking, and people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. In addition, the bill would allow two or more localities receiving Department of Justice grants under this program to pool their grants to contract with a qualified nonprofit for shared training.

You can view the full text of the bill HERE.

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