MENU
SEARCHThe DOJ's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office awarded the grants to 238 law enforcement agencies and municipalities. The awards will create or help preserve 1,021 sworn law enforcement positions.
More than 200 law enforcement agencies will be able to hire or retain more than 1,000 new officers and deputies with the $243 million in hiring grants awarded Wednesday by the Department of Justice.
The DOJ's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office awarded the grants to 238 law enforcement agencies and municipalities. The awards will create or help preserve 1,021 sworn law enforcement positions.
The awards came via the 2011 COPS Hiring Program, a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire officers to addressing specific crime and disorder challenges confronting communities. The grants pay for 100 percent of the entry level salaries and benefits of newly-hired, or rehired, full-time officer positions over a three-year period.
The largest awards were given for 25 officers or deputies to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department ($11.3 million), Oakland PD ($10.7 million), Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department ($8.5 million), Sacramento PD ($8.1 million), Cincinnati PD ($6.8 million), Tucson PD ($6.1 million), and the Newark PD ($6 million).
Also, the Camden (N.J.) PD recieved $3.7 million to hire 14 officers.
The COPS office reviewed 2,712 applications requesting more than $2 billion for 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 such as poverty, unemployment, and foreclosure rates.
"Cities across the country are dealing with numerous challenges and we are pleased to be able to assist their public safety efforts," said Bernard Melekian, director of COPS. "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."
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →
What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.
Read More →
Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.
Read More →
A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.
Read More →
In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.
Read More →
Learn about Polaris Government & Defense in this video as POLICE visits their show booth to discover their side-by-sides and the advantages they provide for agencies.
Read More →
Ford Pro™ meets the needs of law-enforcement agencies
Read More →
Dashcam video released by a New Jersey police department shows two of its officers rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car after a crash.
Read More →
The Aimpoint COA optic + A-CUT system has been named Red Dot of the Year by Guns & Ammo magazine. The new optic system was introduced in January 2025.
Read More →
Join POLICE as we visit with Abi Stock, of Axon, to learn about the company’s latest technology offerings, such as Axon Assistant, Form One, and the DFR integration with Skydio.
Read More →