U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania issued the following announcement on June 2.
The Department of Justice today announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced today are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
"The Department of Justice is committed to providing the police chiefs and sheriffs of our great nation with needed resources, tools, and support. The funding announced today will bolster their ranks and contribute to expanding community policing efforts nationwide," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "A law enforcement agency’s most valuable assets are the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in the name of protecting and serving their communities."
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce the following funding awards to departments and cities in the district:
• Johnstown Police Department (Cambria County) – $250,000 for two officers
• City of McKeesport Police Department (Allegheny County) - $250,000 for two officers
• New Sewickley Township Police Department (Beaver County) - $375,000 for three officers
"These critical grant funds will place 7 additional career police officers in focus areas for crime prevention and prosecution," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "These extra resources will advance community policing, which creates community partnerships between law enforcement and community members – built on trust and mutual respect – to address crime challenges. In this time of crises and budget shortfalls, we remain committed to protecting our neighbors."
The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, CHP provides funding to state, local, and tribal law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. In a changing economic climate, CHP funding helps law enforcement agencies maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to promote safe communities. Funding through this program had been on hold since the spring of 2018 due to a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year.
Original source can be found here.