U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) on March 18 said he planned to introduce legislation that would direct the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or the COPS Office, to carry out a nationwide pilot program to establish community outpost houses.
“Neighborhoods are only as safe as their relationships with each other are strong,” Rep. Emmer said. “By building collaboration and understanding between law enforcement and residents, we can create positive interactions with our nation’s police.”
Specifically, Rep. Emmer will sponsor the Community OutPost (COP) Outreach and Engagement Act to promote the nationwide use of COP houses, which would provide long-term stabilization between law enforcement and the communities they serve and protect by building relationships, awareness, and trust; uniting members of the community and law enforcement; improving the quality of life in the neighborhood; and reducing crime, according to the text of the bill.
If enacted, funds authorized under the bill would enable a COP house to provide services such as connecting with residents and involvement in community outreach programs; providing government benefit program consultations; nursing services and coordination with medical services in the community; emergency medical services; space for use by community groups; and holding events with community partners, among other provisions, according to the bill.
Modeled after the St. Cloud Police Department’s COP House in Minnesota, Rep. Emmer said his bill would “improve the way we keep our communities safe.”
“The COP House in St. Cloud has given residents a chance to have meaningful interactions with officers from their local police department, while providing officers with the opportunity to build relationships throughout their region,” the congressman said. “Conducting outreach out of this outpost rather than remaining sheltered in a precinct increases comfort for other individuals and establishes interactions with police that are not simply confrontational.”
The effort in St. Cloud is a partnership between the St. Cloud Police Department, Mayo Ambulance, CentraCare Health, and Stearns County Social Services, according to Rep. Emmer’s office, which noted that the lawmaker assisted with the procurement of the home, which hosts community events such as English language programs, back-to-school events, dental and breastfeeding clinics, legal office hours, and kids’ activities.