Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) praised funding that will enable the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) to hire two new police officers. Larsen sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to award the MVPD with a COPS Hiring Program Grant to help enhance their community policing programs.
“The Mount Vernon Police Department has a strong record of effective policing programs that have reduced crime and gang violence in the community, but the state of the economy is threatening their ability to keep officers in neighborhoods and in the local schools,” said Rep. Larsen. “This critical funding will allow the MVPD to hire 2 police officers so they can continue their hard work to keep Mount Vernon safe.”
Law enforcement agencies can use Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Recovery Program grants to hire and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort and to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. These grants provide 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 MVPD will receive $636,538 that will allow them to hire two officers for three years.
