BELTON, Texas — The City of Belton has announced that it will receive a $375,000 grant to help pay the salaries of three new police officers the Belton Police Department plans to hire.
The City said they were notified on Thursday, Nov. 2 by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) that the City would be awarded the grant.
The Department of Justice awarded grants to 394 law enforcement agencies on Nov. 2, according to the City of Belton, funding 1,730 positions at a cost of $216.8 million.
The COPS office reportedly received 654 grant applications, with only 33 cities receiving the grant across the state of Texas. The Belton Police Department was reportedly the only police department in its region to receive an award.
“This is great news,” Belton Mayor David K. Leigh said. “We couldn’t provide the quality of service in Belton without strong partnerships. Leveraging grant funds to defer costs for taxpayers is always something I support.”
The City said the grant will be paid out over the next 3-5 years at $125,000 a year. Over the life of the grant, Belton says it is required to contribute $346,380 toward salaries and benefits for the three new positions.
“The timing of this award couldn’t be better,” said Belton Police Chief Gene Ellis. “The Belton City Council funded three new positions for Fiscal Year 2024, and we have just started a hiring process. Tell your family members and friends to apply.”
Once these three new positions are filled, the Belton Police Department will have 46 sworn personnel on staff.
Those interested in applying for one of the positions can visit www.beltontexas.gov/policecareers for more information. The current application period closes at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, 2023.
The City of Belton said it previously received COPS grants in 1995 and 2004.
"This funding eases the transition into the cost of adding more officers,” City Manager Sam Listi said. “These grants are extremely competitive, so we feel fortunate to be awarded one today.”
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