HR3312-119

What This Bill Does

The SERVICE Act lets the Attorney General, acting through the COPS Office, award grants to state, local, and Tribal governments for veteran response teams within law enforcement agencies. Teams may issue veteran-officer service pins, use the VA Veterans Re-Entry Search Service, coordinate with VA and community resource agencies, work with Veterans Justice Outreach specialists and local justice-system partners, train officers on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, and anxiety, and organize volunteer first responders for 24-hour veteran-in-crisis calls. To create a team, an agency must identify a leader, participating officers, and community partners such as veteran organizations, local VA facilities, fire or EMS agencies, hospitals, social workers, courts, detention facilities, and nonprofits. The authority ends five years after enactment, and the Attorney General must report to Congress on applicants, awards, average amounts sought and awarded, and other grant information.

Who Benefits and How

Veterans in crisis benefit because participating police agencies can build teams trained to connect them with VA, court, housing, mental health, and community resources. Veteran law enforcement officers benefit from service pins and internal team roles that identify them as contacts for veteran-related calls. Local law enforcement agencies benefit from COPS Office funding for training, coordination, and 24-hour response capacity. Veterans Justice Outreach specialists benefit because the bill formalizes their coordination role with participating police teams.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State governments applying for grants must design programs, coordinate partners, and report information needed for federal oversight. Tribal governments face the same application and coordination duties if they seek pilot funding. COPS Office grant staff must administer awards and produce the required congressional report. Participating officers must take training on veteran trauma conditions and maintain ongoing contact with service networks.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes COPS Office grants for veteran response teams in state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies.
• Requires teams to coordinate with VA, Veterans Justice Outreach, courts, detention intake, first responders, and community resource agencies.
• Funds officer training on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety, and veteran crisis response.
• Requires a congressional report and terminates the pilot authority five years after enactment.