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NEWS RELEASE 4/16/2009 |
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| FLINT SEEKS COPS FUNDS TO HIRE POLICE OFFICERS |
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Funding also sought for new law enforcement equipment FLINT, Mich. – The City of Flint is seeking more than $9 million in federal funds to hire up to 50 police officers for four years. The grant is one of two federal recovery and reinvestment programs that the city is pursuing to aid the Police Department. The four-year COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) grant provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to create and preserve jobs and increase community policing capacity. The grant would cover entry-level wages and benefits for three years, with the city responsible for the fourth year of compensation for the officers hired under the program. The COPS grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are not guaranteed. The grant recipients will be announced by September 30, 2009, by the Office of Justice Programs of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Police Department is also applying for a $1.3 million Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG), which would pay for new cruisers and other equipment for the department. The JAG grants, also administered by the Office of Justice Programs, are formula-based and will be awarded in early June 2009. “There are federal dollars out there to support vital city services, such as public safety, that we are aggressively pursuing,” said Acting Mayor Michael K. Brown. “Even though the city is faced with significant financial challenges, maintaining city services remains a chief concern and we will continue to explore various options to deliver high-quality services.” ### |
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