WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today encouraged local law enforcement departments in South Jersey to apply for federal funding available under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program.
“The COPS program continues to be a valuable tool to assist local law enforcement with their ongoing efforts to protect our communities,” said Congressman LoBiondo, a member of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus. “I strongly encourage South Jersey’s law enforcement departments to apply for these federal COPS grants.”
The COPS grant program will award $111 million in federal funding for Fiscal Year 2012 for the hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs and increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
Under the 2012 program, if a local law enforcement agency is awarded funding for a new hire, the newly hired officer must be a military veteran who served on active duty for a period of at least 180 days, any part of which occurred on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
The COPS program is managed by the U.S. Department of Justice. More information about the COPS program is available at www.cops.usdoj.gov. Deadline to apply is Thursday, March 22, 2012.
