(Warwick, R.I.)–Congressman Jim Langevin today announced that the Richmond Police Department has been awarded $75,000 from the Community Oriented Policing Service’s (COPS) Universal Hiring Program.  The funds have been allocated to hire an additional law enforcement officer for the town.

 “The COPS program was created in 1994 to place more police officers on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” said Congressman Langevin.  “The presence of additional law enforcement personnel is a strong deterrent to crime, while providing young children with role models.  As our nation becomes ever more conscious of security needs, it is critical that we continue to fund this program that keeps our hometowns secure.”
 
 In 2002, the COPS program made $330 million available to cities, towns and states to hire new police officers.  Unfortunately, the current budget proposed by the Administration would eliminate COPS funding to fight crimes in our neighborhoods.

 During the 107th Congress, Langevin and 223 of his Democratic colleagues supported legislation (H.R. 2009: The Providing Reliable Officers, Technology, Education, Community Prosecutors, and Training In Our Neighborhoods Act of 2001) which would make $600 million in new funding available to cities and states to bolster public safety and protect our neighborhoods over the next 6 years.  The legislation also provides funding to hire up to 50,000 additional police officers and 1,000 prosecutors and to help law enforcement acquire the latest crime-fighting technologies

“The COPS program has provided Rhode Island cities and towns the financial resources they need to add additional personnel to their rosters, making our neighborhoods safer places to live,” added Langevin.  “Failure to fully fund this program not only puts Rhode Islanders at risk, but also the nation as a whole.  Now is the time to bolster public safety departments throughout the nation, not weaken them.”

 The COPS Universal Hiring Program grants provide up to 75 percent of the total cost of salary and benefits of each new officer over a period of three years, up to a maximum of $75,000 per officer.  State or local funds pick up the remaining 25 percent.

 According to the Department of Justice, the COPS program has funded more than 110,000 officers through approximately 31,000 grants to more than 12,000 law enforcement agencies.  The community-policing program serves 87 percent of U.S. communities.

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