Officers Funded By Federal Grant Graduate Academy Today

August 12, 2010

Officers Funded By Federal Grant Graduate Academy Today

INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis bolstered its police ranks today as the newest members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) graduated from the academy. Included in the class are officers funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

Congressman André Carson announced that Indianapolis secured the $11 million grant last July. The funding supported the hiring of 50 new police officers. Nationally the COPS grants were made available to more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country through the landmark American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The $1 billion program will fund the hiring and rehiring of 4,699 law enforcement officers.

"While other cities are seeing cuts in their police force, this grant is helping Indianapolis add police to its streets in this tough economic climate," said Congressman Carson. "These officers will not only be patrolling local neighborhoods, they will be building relationships with the community to try and prevent crime."

The COPS grant is designed to expand community policing, a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies and partnerships to solve problems and proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues.

The Congressman also voted for legislation this week that will provide crucial aid to states and prevent massive job cuts. The Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act will save and create 319,000 jobs across the country, including tens of thousands of police officers.

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