US Department of Justice COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) Grant Award
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7/29/09 The Department of Justice has approved a COPS Hiring
Recovery Program (CHRP) grant award for 50 police officer
positions in Atlanta. The estimated amount of federal
funds to be awarded over the three-year grant period is
$11,209,300.00. The official notification has been provided and as soon as
the City receives their award letter this fall, Atlanta Police
Department will begin the process of adding police officers to
the force. The department will receive a COPS Hiring Recovery Program
(CHRP) grant award for 50 officer positions. The estimated
amount of federal funds to be awarded to your jurisdiction over
the three-year grant period is $11,209,300.00. When the
grant funding ends, there must be a plan to sustain the
additional officers as the City seeks to increase the police
force to reach a minimum goal of 2,000 police officers. Atlanta Deputy Chief George Turner said that the goal is to
have a recruit class this fall with the 50 new recruits. Once
the officers are trained they will be dispatched into the
community. The police department is proud and happy to add 50
new officers to the force, said Chief Turner. All the positions
awarded under the grant must be used to initiate or enhance
community policing in the City of Atlanta. Currently, the City of Atlanta authorized positions (budgeted
for) is 1,701 sworn police.
Mayor Shirley Franklin believes that the COPS (Community
Oriented Policing Services) program is vital in the
crime-fighting efforts of American cities. Franklin said, “ I
join other mayors and local officials in acknowledging the
Department of Justice and Attorney General Eric Holder for their
efforts to advocate on behalf of cities. Atlanta competed
nationally for this grant along with hundreds of other
communities, and this award represents an important public
safety investment in our community.” The Recovery Act grants, which will be administered by the
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services (COPS) through the federal agency’s COPS Hiring
Recovery Program, provide much needed financial support to
state, local and tribal governments, and will help the nation’s
law enforcement agencies add and retain the manpower needed to
fight crime more effectively through community policing. The
Department of Justice received over 7,200 applications for more
than 39,000 officer positions, representing a total of $8.3
billion in requested funding. The Recovery Act includes $4 billion in Department of Justice
grant funding to enhance state, local, and tribal law
enforcement efforts, including the hiring of new police
officers, to combat violence against women, and to fight
internet crimes against children. In addition to today’s COPS
awards, to date the Department of Justice has awarded $1.7
billion through formula state and local Edward Byrne Memorial
Justice Assistance Grants, $95 million through the Victims of
Crime Act Formula Grant Program, $41.5 million for Internet
Crimes Against Children initiatives, $127 million in Office on
Violence Against Women Recovery Act funds and $8.6 million for
assistance for law enforcement along the Southern Border and in
high intensity drug trafficking areas. |
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