Modernization of the Police Preventive Model: Creation and Implementation of the Problem-Oriented Police Strategy | INL20CA0017 COSTARICA POLICESTRATEGY

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL20CA0017 COSTARICA POLICESTRATEGY

The grant opportunity titled "Modernization of the Police Preventive Model: Creation and Implementation of the Problem-Oriented Police Strategy" (Funding Opportunity Number INL20CA0017) is a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). It focuses on strengthening public safety and policing effectiveness in Costa Rica by modernizing how the national police plan, manage, and deliver preventive services. The core idea is to take an existing policing approach and rebuild it into a clearer, more functional model grounded in problem-oriented policing (POP) and evidence-based policing, with the aim of improving outcomes that citizens can actually feel, such as reduced crime, better service quality, and higher trust in the police.

The opportunity is rooted in a diagnosis of a prior reform effort. In 2012, Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security introduced a quadrant-based service model, where officers are assigned responsibility for a small, defined geographic area (a quadrant). In theory, this structure improves accountability, local knowledge, and responsiveness because officers are tied to a specific place and community. The problem described in the solicitation is that, seven years later, the quadrant model still is not consistently implemented across the country. Even in locations where it exists, there is no solid evidence demonstrating that it has achieved its main goals. INL and Costa Rican counterparts therefore see a gap between the intended design and real-world execution, and they describe the current police management framework as ambiguous, inadequate, and lacking scientific grounding.

To address that gap, the project aims to design and help implement an optimized police management model that embeds POP and evidence-based practices into everyday police work. Problem-oriented policing typically emphasizes identifying recurring public safety problems, analyzing their underlying causes, selecting targeted interventions, and assessing results rather than relying on generalized patrol or reactive response. Evidence-based policing adds a requirement that strategies and resource allocations are informed by data, evaluation, and methods that can credibly show what works. In practical terms, the grant is meant to support a shift from loosely defined or inconsistently applied management practices to a more structured model that helps police prioritize problems, apply prevention-oriented interventions, and measure whether those interventions are making communities safer.

A major feature of the new model is integration. The solicitation highlights that Costa Rica's Public Force has multiple programs and projects, particularly prevention programs, that need to be unified into a coherent work plan rather than operating as separate initiatives. The redesigned model is expected to provide the framework for incorporating existing INL-supported programs directly into the operational planning of the Fuerza Publica at the local level, specifically within each cantonment. Programs specifically named for integration include "Sembremos Seguridad," "Police work with Youth," "Anti-Drug Community Coalitions," and "Hacete Escuchar." The intent is that these efforts become institutionalized as part of the police service model itself, not treated as standalone projects that fade when external funding ends.

Another central component is the elevation of data systems as the backbone of decision-making. The opportunity explicitly calls for putting the INL-funded Datapol police database at the heart of the policing model, treating it as the primary source of evidence and information for officers. This signals an operational emphasis on using data to identify hotspots or recurring problems, track incidents, support analysis, guide targeted deployments, and evaluate whether specific strategies are producing measurable improvements. The overall logic is that a police model built around reliable data and structured problem-solving will be better positioned to reduce crime and improve public confidence than a model that relies on unclear guidance or inconsistent practices.

Administratively, the grant is categorized under Law, Justice and Legal Services (CFDA 19.704). The funding instrument is a grant, with an award ceiling of $400,000 and an expectation of one award. The original posting date was February 24, 2020, with an original closing date of April 24, 2020. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the opportunity is designed as a targeted investment to help Costa Rica modernize preventive policing by creating a unified, evidence-driven management model that connects local police responsibilities, prevention programming, and data-based decision-making into one operational strategy.

• The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Modernization of the Police Preventive Model: Creation and Implementation of the Problem-Oriented Police Strategy" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.704.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 24, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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