Linda Sánchez Announces $500K Grant for South Gate PD to Hire More Officers (Sept. 27, 2012)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-39) is announcing that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the South Gate Police Department a $500,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant. This COPS grant—which Congresswoman Sánchez strongly supported—will allow the South Gate PD to hire new law enforcement officers and increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

"We have to do everything we can to make our communities safe and this grant funding will help the City of South Gate and its police department take huge steps in crime prevention," said Congresswoman Sanchez. "At a time when our communities are dealing with stretched budgets, this COPS grant will help South Gate put more police officers on the street and expand their community policing programs. I was proud to support this grant which will help South Gate thrive."

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is one of several Justice Department programs aimed at supporting local law enforcement agencies by providing funding for additional officers. CHP is designed to increase the capacities of law enforcement agencies by implementing community policing strategies that strengthen partnerships for safer communities and enhance law enforcement's ability to prevent, solve and control crime. The COPS Hiring Program grant requires that all new officers hired under the grant must be military veterans that have served at least 180 days of active military service.

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