Department Of Justice Awards Hiring Grants To Help Reduce Violence And Protect Schools

Grants Awarded To Hire School Resource Officers, Reduce Violence And
Address Other Critical Law Enforcement Needs

TAMPA, FL - The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), yesterday announced funding awards to 10 cities and counties in the Middle District of Florida. These grants, totaling over $7 million, are intended to create 57 law enforcement positions.

The list of this year’s grantees includes: Daytona Beach Police Department, DeLand Police Department, Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Longwood Police Department, Mount Dora Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota Police Department, and the Starke Police Department.

“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, Director of the COPS Office. “Funding from this year’s program will allow many cities and counties to apply new sworn personnel to issues related to violent crime, property crime, and school safety.”

The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.

“Community policing emphasizes strong partnerships between local law enforcement and the public it serves,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III.  “These partnerships develop creative ideas, build trust, and increase the effectiveness of law enforcement at all levels.  Our Office is excited that ten of our local law enforcement partners will have additional funding to enhance community policing within their jurisdictions.”

Grantees for the 2014 hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and community policing plans. Nearly $124 million will be awarded nationally.

The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded over $14 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 125,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products, including publications, training, and technical assistance.

For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2014 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.