Congresswoman Kosmas announces federal grant monies for cop positions in Daytona Beach, DeLand and South Daytona

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach (FL-24) announced today that cities in Volusia County have been allocated funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, COPS Hiring Recovery Program. The grants will fund eight police officer positions in Daytona Beach, three in Deland and one in South Daytona Beach.

"The tax relief and recovery package continues to provide investments to create and save jobs across our region, and combining job creation with an opportunity to increase safety in our communities has resulted in a win-win for Volusia County," said Congresswoman Kosmas. "The COPS funding will provide much needed support to local government budgets, and will help Central Florida's law enforcement agencies add and retain the manpower needed to fight crime more effectively."

CHRP provides funding to address the full-time sworn officer needs of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. CHRP grants go directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort and to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

The grants will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for entry level officer positions over a three year period. Police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant funded positions for a fourth year.