Fort Hays State University’s Criminal Justice Program and University Police Department have been awarded an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to expand de-escalation training for law enforcement. This grant increases total federal funding for their training initiatives to over $3.5 million.

The funding supports the Central Region Training Center of the National De-escalation Training Center, based at FHSU, in providing evidence-based techniques to improve officer safety, reduce use-of-force incidents, and build community trust. The training focuses on procedural justice, crisis intervention, personality identification, and scenario-based exercises to better prepare officers for real-world situations.

Since 2021, the center has trained nearly 3,000 law enforcement personnel nationwide, including close to 1,000 in Kansas. The new grant will allow FHSU to expand training hubs beyond the region, increasing the reach and impact of its programs.

The COPS Office remains committed to advancing community policing and providing resources to enhance public and officer safety through innovative training initiatives.