State Aid for Police Protection: Communication Encryption Grant Program (SAPC)
Forecasted
State Aid for Police Protection: Communication Encryption Grant Program (SAPC) supports Maryland law enforcement agencies with encrypted radios and related equipment to protect communications and improve officer safety.
Funder: Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy
Due Dates (Anticipated): August 2027 (GMS User ID request) | August 2027 (Online application)
Funding Amounts: SFY 2027: $6,000,000 total; up to 20 awards of $20,000–$1,000,000 for nine months
Summary: Supports Maryland law enforcement agencies’ procurement, upgrade, and implementation of AES-256 encrypted radios and related equipment.
Key Information: The SFY 2027 opportunity limits eligibility to current recipients of SFY27 State Aid for Police Protection funds.
Description
The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) administers SAPC to strengthen secure law enforcement communications across Maryland. Established during the 2026 legislative session as an enhancement to State Aid for Police Protection (SAPP), the program supports procurement, upgrades, and implementation of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) compliant subscriber radios and associated systems.
The program prioritizes remaining encryption gaps in portable and mobile radio fleets. Its goals are to protect sensitive communications, improve officer safety, and maintain interoperability with local, State, regional, and federal public safety partners during routine operations and emergency incidents. Eligible activities include encrypted radios, encryption hardware and software, encryption key management and Communications Security (COMSEC) equipment, and limited accessories necessary for encrypted communications.
