June 25, 2012
Grants awarded to hire veterans for law enforcement positions as part of President Obama’s Veterans Job Corps initiative
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) today announced funding awards to over 220 cities and counties, aimed at creating or saving approximately 800 law enforcement positions. The grants will fund over 600 new law enforcement positions and save an additional 200 positions recently lost or in jeopardy of being cut due to local budget cuts. All new law enforcement positions funded in the COPS 2012 Hiring Program must be filled by recent military veterans who have served at least 180 days since September 11, 2001. In his State of the Union Address, President Obama called for a new Veterans Jobs Corps initiative to help put veterans back to work on a range of projects that leverage skills developed in the military, including first responder jobs. In February, the President announced that preference for this year’s COPS and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants would be given to communities that recruit and hire post-9/11 veterans to serve as police officers and firefighters.
More than $111 million is being awarded to local public safety agencies across the country. The list of this year’s grantees includes Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Atlanta, GA; Trenton, NJ; Alameda County and Los Angeles, CA; Akron, OH; and Tacoma, WA. The COPS Office will work with transition centers across the country to connect veterans with the new grant-funded law enforcement opportunities. For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2012 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
“Since we got into office, the President and I have been committed to helping our returning heroes find jobs and transition back into civilian life. A lot of them want to keep serving now that they’re back, and these COPS Grants help give them that chance,” said Vice President Joe Biden.
“Today, we step up our support for recent veterans by offering them the chance to pursue meaningful careers in law enforcement,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “At a time of budget shortfalls, these grants will provide opportunities for much-needed, highly-trained professionals – with a proven commitment to service – to continue their careers in communities all across the country.”
“This new opportunity for veterans is a commitment to support those who are coming home from their tour of duty,” said Bernard Melekian, COPS Office Director. “We sincerely hope this effort encourages our veterans to continue to protect and serve the United States through new law enforcement careers.”
The COPS Hiring Program makes grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides the salary and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years. Along with the pledge to hire military veterans, grantees for the 2012 Hiring Program were selected based on fiscal need and local crime rates. An additional factor in the selection process was each agency’s strategy to address specific problems such as increased homicide rates and gun violence.
Today’s announcement builds on several steps President Obama has taken to support veterans in developing skills and finding work, including by: creating new tax credits for businesses that hire veterans; challenging the private sector to hire or train 100,000 veterans and their spouses by 2013; helping veterans obtain industry-recognized credentials and licenses; increasing access to intensive reemployment services; developing online tools to boost veteran employment; and increasing hiring of veterans in healthcare-related fields.
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
FY2012 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awardees
Alabama
Argo Police Department 1 $91,886
Clay County Sheriff’s Office 1 $80,141
Evergreen Police Department 1 $100,330
Gordon, Town of 1 $66,728
Midfield, City of 1 $104,183
Summerdale Police Department 1 $114,876
Washington County Commission 1 $95,999
Alaska
Kotzebue, City of 1 $125,000
Arizona
Apache County Sheriff’s Office 2 $359,812
Quechan Fish and Game Department 1 $96,941
Winslow, City of 1 $125,000
Yuma, City of 8 $1,000,000
Arkansas
Fordyce Police Department 1 $92,124
Gurdon, City of 1 $80,440
Pine Bluff, City of 4 $438,150
California
Alameda County 15 $1,875,000
Antioch, City of 5 $1,502,680
Apple Valley 1 $125,000
Bakersfield Police Department 11 $1,375,000
Ceres Department of Public Safety 1 $289,254
Chowchilla, City of 1 $125,000
Chula Vista, City of 6 $750,000
Cloverdale Police Department 1 $216,369
Colusa Police Department 1 $125,000
Del Norte County Sheriff’s Department 1 $125,000
Delano, City of 2 $475,928
Farmersville Police Department 1 $193,822
Fontana, City of 5 $625,000
Hayward, City of 9 $3,602,644
Hemet, City of 3 $629,580
Kerman, City of 1 $125,000
Los Angeles, City of 25 $6,428,350
Mammoth Lakes, Town of 1 $125,000
McFarland, City of 1 $249,068
Mendota Police Department 1 $125,000
Merced Police Department 4 $1,100,396
Montebello 1 $125,000
Oroville Police Department 1 $125,000
Placerville Police Department 1 $280,555
Rancho Cucamonga, City of 1 $125,000
Rialto Police Department 5 $625,000
Ridgecrest, City of 2 $250,000
Santa Cruz, City of 3 $375,000
Sonora Police Department 1 $268,575
South El Monte Police Dept. 1 $125,000
Tulare County Sheriff’s Department 2 $250,000
Willits Police Department 1 $125,000
Willows Police Department 1 $195,450
Yucca Valley, Town of 1 $125,000
Colorado
Ft. Morgan, City of 1 $125,000
Ignacio, Town of 1 $125,000
Mesa County Sheriff’s Department 3 $375,000
Connecticut
Hartford, City of 12 $1,745,037
New Haven, City of 6 $750,000
Norwich Police Department 4 $500,000
Waterbury, City of 14 $1,750,000
Delaware
Dagsboro Police Department 1 $125,000
Milford Police Department 1 $125,000
Wyoming Police Department 1 $105,878
District of Columbia
Metropolitan Police Department 5 $625,000
Florida
Collier County Sheriff’s Department 4 $500,000
Largo, City of 3 $375,000
Miami Gardens Police Department, City of 10 $1,250,000
Pinellas County 5 $625,000
Polk, County of 15 $1,875,000
St. Cloud Police Department 4 $500,000
Wakulla County Sheriff’s Department 3 $450,274
Georgia
Atlanta, City of 15 $1,875,000
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority 5 $625,000
Newton County Sheriff’s Department 7 $901,490
Poulan, City of 1 $76,961
Guam
Guam Police Department 3 $239,537
Idaho Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department 4 $500,000
St. Anthony Police Department 1 $125,000
Illinois
Bellwood Police Department 2 $250,000
Belvidere Police Department 2 $250,000
Chicago Heights Police Department 4 $500,000
Chicago, City of 25 $3,125,000
Gilberts, Village of 1 $125,000
Round Lake Park Police Department 1 $125,000
Waukegan Police Department 7 $875,000
Indiana
Galveston, Town of 1 $100,792
Kendallville, City of 1 $125,000
Lake Station Police Department 1 $125,000
Scottsburg, City of 1 $125,000
St. John Police Department 1 $125,000
Whiting Police Department 1 $125,000
Iowa
Iowa City 2 $250,000
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office 1 $125,000
Knoxville, City of 1 $110,014
Sergeant Bluff, City of 1 $125,000
Kansas
Andover, City of 1 $125,000
Dickinson County Sheriff’s
Department
1 $113,468
Liberal, City of 1 $118,495
Paola Police Department 1 $125,000
Kentucky
Ludlow Police Department 1 $125,000
Marshall County Sheriff’s
Department
1 $171,550
Richmond, City of 3 $375,000
Louisiana
Baldwin Municipal Government 1 $85,564
New Orleans Police Department 9 $1,125,000
Saint Helena Parish 3 $184,086
Tangipahoa Police Department 1 $145,979
Maine
Cumberland Police Department 1 $125,000
Madison Police Department 1 $125,000
Yarmouth Police Department 1 $125,000
York County Sheriff’s Department 2 $250,000
Maryland
Hagerstown Police Department 5 $625,000
Massachusetts
Boston Police Department 15 $1,875,000
Lawrence Police Department 6 $750,000
New Bedford Police Department 6 $750,000
Michigan
Dearborn, City of 9 $1,125,000
Evart, City of 1 $125,000
Hamtramck Police Department 2 $441,682
Howell Police Department 1 $125,000
Oak Park Department of Public
Safety
3 $681,363
Reed City 1 $125,000
Taylor Police Department 1 $125,000
Walker, City of 2 $250,000
Minnesota
Brainerd Police Department 1 $125,000
Cass County 2 $250,000
Floodwood 1 $125,000
Isanti Police Department 1 $125,000
White Earth Reservation Tribal
Council
1 $173,438
Mississippi
D’Iberville Police Department 1 $114,701
Glendora, City of 1 $50,382
Gulfport Police Department 1 $108,365
Terry, Town of 1 $88,202
Verona Police Department 1 $96,248
Washington County Sheriff’s Office 2 $266,461
Missouri
Forsyth Police Department 1 $86,688
Highlandville Police Department 1 $77,272
Kansas City Board of Police
Commissioners
10 $1,250,000
Neosho Police Department 1 $94,739
Vernon County Sheriff’s
Department
1 $88,896
Montana
Gallatin Airport Authority Dept. of
Public Safety
1 $125,000
Gallatin County 1 $125,000
Mineral County Sheriff’s
Department
1 $148,208
Nebraska
Douglas County Sheriff’s Department 5 $625,000
Nevada
North Las Vegas Police Department 14 $1,750,000
New Hampshire
Manchester Police Department 5 $625,000
New Jersey
Atlantic City 15 $1,875,000
Bayonne Police Department 9 $1,125,000
Bridgeton, City of 3 $375,000
Haledon, Borough of 1 $121,464
Hamilton, Township of 2 $512,042
Jersey City 15 $1,875,000
Newfield, Borough of 1 $125,000
Trenton, City of 12 $3,018,720
Wildwood Police Department 2 $432,232
New Mexico
Luna County Sheriff’s Department 2 $250,000
Ramah Navajo Chapter 1 $102,116
Santa Rosa Police Department 1 $139,182
Valencia County Sheriff’s
Department
1 $105,482
New York
Yonkers Police Department 15 $2,500,000
North Carolina
Bolton Police Department 1 $163,869
Edenton Police Department 1 $106,206
Enfield Police Department 1 $98,047
Morehead City 1 $107,691
Wadesboro Police Department 1 $112,509
North Dakota
Grand Forks Police Department 2 $250,000
University of North Dakota Police
Department
1 $125,000
Ohio
Akron, City of 12 $1,500,000
Canton, City of 7 $821,489
Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s
Department
8 $1,000,000
Greenfield, City of 1 $125,000
McArthur, Village of 1 $85,369
Mingo Junction, Village of 1 $125,000
Newton Falls Township Police
Department
1 $125,000
Portsmouth, City of 2 $327,244
Republic Police Department 1 $125,000
Russells Point, Village of 1 $111,513
Toledo Department of Police
Operation
15 $1,875,000
Youngstown Police Department 7 $727,398
Oklahoma
Bristow Police Department 1 $125,000
Tulsa Police Department 6 $750,000
Oregon
Coos County Sheriff’s Office 3 $685,113
Pennsylvania
Aliquippa, City of 1 $107,137
Chester Police Department 5 $625,000
Philadelphia Police Department 25 $3,125,000
Pittsburgh, City of 13 $1,448,489
Puerto Rico
Caguas, Municipality of 8 $649,908
Mayaguez, Municipality of 2 $129,866
Orocovis, Municipal Government
of
1 $53,375
Ponce, Municipality of 15 $1,141,088
San Juan, Municipality of 15 $982,766
Rhode Island
Warwick Police Department 4 $500,000
West Warwick, Town of 1 $125,000
South Carolina
Chester Police Department 1 $112,295
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Department 5 $502,414
South Dakota
Sioux Falls Police Department 2 $250,000
South Dakota Highway Patrol 3 $375,000
Tennessee
Bradley County Sheriff’s Department 1 $108,587
LaFollette Police Department 1 $113,186
Sevierville Police Department 3 $375,000
Texas
Alamo, City of 1 $98,303
Brownsville Police Department 10 $1,186,658
Webb County 5 $602,321
Utah
La Verkin, City of 1 $125,000
West Jordan Department of Public Safety 4 $500,000
Vermont
Essex County Sheriff’s Department 1 $122,781
Franklin County Sheriff’s Department 1 $125,000
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands 6 $562,500
Virginia
Chesapeake Police Department 5 $536,119
Hopewell Bureau of Police 2 $248,382
Page County Sheriff’s Department 3 $330,891
Washington
Burien, City of 3 $375,000
Clallam County Sheriff’s Department 2 $250,000
Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office 6 $750,000
Marcus, Town of 1 $157,841
Northport, Town of 1 $157,840
Port Townsend Police Department 1 $125,000
Stevens County Sheriff’s Dept. 1 $157,843
Tacoma, City of 15 $4,957,620
West Virginia
Cameron, City of 1 $100,201
Quinwood, Town of 1 $69,662
Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office 2 $242,142
Star City, Town of 1 $125,000
Summersville Police Department 1 $116,219
Wisconsin
Grafton, Village of 1 $125,000
Manitowoc, City of 3 $375,000
University of Wisconsin at Madison 1 $125,000
Total Award Amounts 800 $111,244,170