The Philadelphia Police Department will receive more than $3 million in federal money to hire new officers, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Monday. The grant, part of $111 million in funding being awarded to law enforcement agencies around the country, will pay for most of the salary and benefits of 25 new officers for the next three years.
The funding is contingent on the positions’ being filled only by veterans who have served at least 180 days in the military since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“This gives these men and women a chance to continue doing what they signed up for in the first place, which is to protect our country,” said U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, one of many politicians, city, and law enforcement officials who joined Holder on Monday at City Hall to make the announcement. “And do it right here on our streets.”
In all, 44 police positions will be financed in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh will receive $1.4 million to hire 13 officers, Chester will be awarded $625,000, and Aliquippa will receive about $107,000. Trenton also will receive about $3 million to hire 12 officers.
All positions will be paid for by the Community Oriented Policing Services office (COPS), which has awarded billions in funding since its inception in 1993. In Philadelphia, COPS has funded the hire or rehire of more than 900 Philadelphia police officers.
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