|
This Day
in History
Read
about historical events that took place today
Calendar of Events
The Inquirer Forum
A place to post
your opinions & suggestions!
New!
Free Online
Classifieds
2009 Mt.
Vernon
Monthly Column
QUICK
LINKS
Archives
 
     
|
|
|
|
07-29-09
Mt. Vernon
Mount Vernon Police
Department receives $1,877,000 grant to hire 10
new police officers
Mayor Clinton I. Young, Jr., Police
Commissioner David Chong, on behalf of the City
of Mount Vernon are pleased to announce that the
Mount Vernon Police Department is the recipient
of $1,877,000 to hire ten (10) new police
officers.
Today Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General
Eric Holder announced $1 billion in grants to
fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement
officers all across the country under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
This grant will be administered through the U.S.
Department of Justice Office of Community
Oriented Policing Services (COPS) through the
federal agency’s COPS Hiring Recovery Program.
“As an ever growing city, this grant will enable the
Mount Vernon Police Department to better serve
and protect our residents,” said Mayor Clinton
I. Young, Jr. “More officers and aggressive
outreach are the important elements of a
balanced national community policing strategy.
My administration has been on top of every
opportunity to benefit from stimulus funding,
and it’s paying off.”
This grant will provide 100 percent
of each officer’s salary and benefits for three
full years. On top of that, police departments
receiving the grants are required to retain the
officer positions for a fourth year.
“This award is so important to the Mount Vernon Police
Department. With additional officers on our
streets, the entire community can work together
to make Mount Vernon a safer neighborhood. We
specifically look forward to conducting more
community outreach through our successful
initiative, Operation PROTECT”, said Police
Commissioner David Chong.
Of the 223 police departments in
New York State who applied for this grant, only
12 were successfully awarded. The Mount Vernon
Police Department is the only New York State
recipient in the New York Metropolitan region,
including the Lower Hudson Valley and New York
City itself.
“It is our progress with our community policing
partnerships, individual police officers who
have been deployed in various neighborhoods and
changing interactions between police and
residents that we are most proud of. Of the
three criteria that formed the basis of the
awarding of the grant, I am especially pleased
that we have been recognized on a federal level
for our efforts with this community policing”
said Police Chief Barbara Duncan.
Attorney General Holder stated that “we received
applications from more than 7,200 cities and
towns, and made funding decisions based on crime
rate, financial need, and community policing
activities. The thousands of applications that
poured in are indicative of both the tough times
our states, cities and tribes are facing and the
unyielding commitment by law enforcement to
making our communities safer. I’m proud to be a
part of an administration that backs up the
commitment of our law enforcement community not
just with words, but with the resources our
partners need.” |
|
|
