Two Allegheny County communities, Fayette County community receive funding
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Bob Casey today announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded $674,313 to three southwestern Pennsylvania communities to hire new police officers. The funding is available through DOJ’s COPS Office.
“I’m pleased to see COPS funding being used to promote public safety in the Commonwealth,” said Senator Casey. “The funding announced today will help keep southwestern Pennsylvania safe by putting more officers on the streets.”
Senator Casey has been an advocate for increased COPS funding in Pennsylvania and has written to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to consider additional resources for Pennsylvania law enforcement.
The funding is available through DOJ’s COPS Hiring Program (CHP). CHP provides funding to address the full-time sworn officer needs of state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. CHP grants go directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
CHP also provides 100 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits for three years for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions (including filling existing unfunded vacancies) or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a future date, as a result of local budget cuts.
The Bellevue Borough Police Department in Allegheny County is receiving $290,893 to hire a new police officer.
Clairton Police Department in Allegheny County is receiving $165,964 to hire a new police officer.
Connellsville Police Department in Fayette County is receiving $217,456 to hire a new police officer.
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