SUBJECT
title
Authorizing the City Manager to apply for a grant in the estimated amount of $7,925,993.00 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Program. The City of Laredo will utilize this funding to hire 25 new police officers for a period of three years. The 2024 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant provides a maximum federal share of $125,000.00 per officer position of the approved entry level salaries and fringe benefits of each newly hired and/or rehired full time sworn career law enforcement officer over the three years (36 months) grant period. The federal share will be $3,125,000.00 and the city will be responsible for a required local match of approximately 61% of the total project funds from the General Fund in the amount of $4,800,993.00.
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PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
None.
BACKGROUND
Over twenty-five years after the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was signed into Law, the COPS Office continues to support the efforts of law enforcement agencies across the country as they develop creative and innovative ways to deal with long standing community problems and public safety issues. Since the date of establishment of the COPS Office the U.S. Department of Justice has invested $20 billion in community policing. It has funded the addition of nearly 136,000 officers to over 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to advance community policing in small and large jurisdictions across the nation. CHP grant funds must not be used to supplant (replace) local funds, that agencies otherwise would have devoted to sworn officer hiring. The hiring or rehiring of officers under CHP must be in addition to, and not in lieu of, officers who otherwise would have been hired or rehired with state, local, or federal funds.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Recommends that City Council approved this resolution.
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Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Year: 2025
Budgeted Y/N?: Y
Source of Funds: Special Police
Account #: 229
Change Order: Exceeds 25% Y/N: N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Program federal share will be $3,125,000.00 and the remaining $4,800,993.00 must be provided as local match.
Funding will be available under the Special Police Fund.