DOJ Awards $45M to Hire School Resource Officers

For its annual COPS hiring grants, the U.S. Department of Justice gave priority to agencies planning to hire more school resource officers and military veterans.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on Friday announced funding awards to 263 cities and counties, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 937 law enforcement positions. More than $125 million will be awarded nationally, including nearly $45 million to fund 356 new SRO positions.

Twelve agencies recieved at least $1 million to pay for an officer's salary and benefits for three years. Grantees for the 2013 hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and community policing plans.

Some of the 2013 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant recipients for SROs in 2013 include:

• Phoenix, Ariz., $1.88 million

• Yuma, Ariz., $1 million

• Modesto, Calif., $1 million

• Bridgeport, Conn., $2.25 million

• Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Dept., $1.25 million

• Okaloosa County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, $1.4 million

• Pasco County (Fla.) Sheriff's Dept., $1.25 million

• New Orleans PD, $1.25 million

• Flint, Mich., $1.12 million

• Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff's Dept., $1.02 million

• Hamilton County (Tenn.) Sheriff's Dept., $1 million

• El Pas County (Texas) Sheriff's Dept., $1.25 million

Read the 2013 CHP SRO list by state.

Read the full announcement.