(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that local law enforcement agencies are eligible to apply for a COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) grant through the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The $1 billion grant program was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help communities avoid laying off police officers or to hire new police officers. Senator Murray, a long time supporter of the COPS grant program, worked to include funding in the Economic Recovery Act, which she helped to pass last month. This funding is separate from the $36 million in Byrne Justice formula grants for Washington state that Senator Murray announced earlier this month.
“I’ve talked to police chiefs and sheriffs from across Washington state, and they all tell me the same thing – that they’re being asked to do more with less,” said Senator Murray. “This grant program will allow Washington state communities to create jobs and ensure that their neighborhoods are being protected.”
Funding for the grants go directly to local agencies for the hiring and rehiring of full-time officer positions. The CHRP grant solicitation period begins today, March 16, 2009 and closes April 14, 2009.
See more information about the COPS program.
English 
Spanish