WACO, Texas — The Waco Police Department will receive $1.5 million in grant money as part of the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP), the U.S. Attorney General's Office announced Thursday.
U.S. Attorney General Ashley C. Hoff said the money will allow the department to hire or rehire up to 12 more officers.
“This is a wonderful opportunity that helps law enforcement continue protecting and building trust with the citizens of Waco," Hoff said.
“We are honored the Waco Police Department was awarded the $1.5 million. This grant will provide necessary resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the community we love to serve," added Chief Sheryl Victorian.
The money is part of $139 million grant to provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the country.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing, according to the AG's Office.
Of the 183 agencies awarded grants, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis, according to the AG.
Other agencies in Texas receiving grant funding include Houston, Brownsville and Weslaco. The entire list can be viewed here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.