Belleville News Democrat: Ten New Officers To Be Added To Metro-East Police Departments

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Ten New Officers To Be Added To Metro-East Police Departments

Belleville News Democrat

By Maria Baran

Ten new police officers will be added to four metro-east police departments as a result of $1 billion in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice earmarked to fund the hiring or rehiring of law enforcement officers at agencies nationwide.

Alton, East St. Louis, Granite City and Alorton police departments will get part of the more than $25 million Illinois will divide from the grant. Altogether, police departments in Illinois will hire 106 new officers.

Here's what local departments will receive as part of the Community Oriented Policing Services and COPS Hiring Recovery Program:

* Alton will receive $862,500 to hire three officers.

* East St. Louis will get $673,983 to hire three officers.

* Granite City will use $562,458 to hire three officers.

* Alorton will receive $91,616 to hire one officer.

The grants will provide 100 percent of the salary and benefits for the hired officers for three years.

"At a time when tight budgets have forced many law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of officers on duty, today's funding will help create jobs and increase security in communities that need it the most," said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield and Senate majority whip. "Putting more cops on the beat will help make our neighborhoods safer."

Nationwide, almost 4,700 new law enforcement officers will be hired as a result of the grant money.

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