US Department of Justice COPS Office Awards Over $243 Million to Hire New Officers
Contact: Ricci Graham, 510-763-0370
Grants to Oakland and 237 additional agencies aimed at creating and saving law enforcement jobs
Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) joined the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and officials from the cities of Oakland, Stockton, Salinas, and Tulare to announce nearly $72 million in grant awards to cities in California through the 2011 COPS Hiring Program. In total, more than $243 million in grants will be awarded nationwide to 238 law enforcement agencies and municipalities to hire new officers and deputies.
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire police officers dedicated to addressing specific crime and disorder challenges confronting communities. The grants provide 100 percent funding for the entry-level salaries and benefits of newly-hired, or rehired, full-time officer positions over a three-year period.
For the 2011 COPS Hiring Program, 2,712 applications were received requesting more than $2 billion and 8,999 positions. Funding decisions were based on an agency’s commitment to community policing, crime rates, changes in law enforcement budgets, and other local fiscal data (poverty, unemployment, foreclosure rates, etc.).
"Cities across the country are dealing with numerous challenges and we are pleased to be able to assist their public safety efforts," said COPS Director Bernard Melekian. "Creating and maintaining jobs is a key part of this program. This funding helps support local departments in their efforts to increase their ranks, enhance their relationship with the community and directly address their public safety concerns."
The 2011 COPS Hiring Program awards will create or help preserve 1,021 sworn law enforcement positions. The jobs created, preserved, or refilled with COPS Hiring Program funds will advance community policing at the local level and contribute greatly to the quality of life of the citizens in each community.
Said Congresswoman Barbara Lee, “I am pleased to have worked with Director Melekian and his team in bringing these vital federal public safety funds to my district. The COPS program not only helps local law enforcement agencies hire more officers, but also helps neighborhoods and cities develop community policing using the latest research and best practices. I know that through the direct cooperation of local law enforcement and the Department of Justice, we will continue to develop responsible and robust public safety strategies that are so essential here in Oakland and communities throughout California.”
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded over $13 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 120,000 officers and to provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, technical assistance, conferences, and webcasts.
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