Rahall Announces Funding to Support Law Enforcement Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) Monday announced federal funding for two local law enforcement agencies to hire, keep, and/or rehire officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

“Stronger towns build a stronger nation. This is welcome funding to help local law enforcement get the manpower and equipment they need to protect our communities,” said Rahall. “In this budget cutting environment, we must remember the value of these funds to neighborhood police officers who constantly are asked to do more with less.”

The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office will receive $242,142 to hire two career officers; Summersville Police Department will receive $116,219 to hire one officer; and the Town of Quinwood in Greenbrier County will receive $69,662 to hire one officer.

The funding announced today is awarded by Department of Justice through its Community-Oriented Policing Services Program (COPS) Hiring Program (CHP).  CHP provides funding to address the full-time sworn officer needs of state and local law enforcement agencies. The 2012 program requires that all new officers hired under the grant must be military veterans that have served at least 180 days of active military service, any part of which occurred on or after September 11, 2001.

This year’s CHP grants provide 75 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits for three years (36 months) 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.  Any additional costs above the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits, up to $125,000, are the responsibility of the grantee agency.

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