House approves thousands of new community police officers
Rep. Johnson: COPS legislation crucial in these ‘tough economic times’
April 24, 2009
WASHINGTON -- Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) voted April 23 to restore the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program by supporting H.R. 1139, the COPS Improvements Act.
If passed by the Senate, the bill will provide the Fourth District – which includes most of DeKalb and Rockdale counties and a sliver of Gwinnett – with an estimated 249 new officers through hiring grants.
The bill was approved by a wide bipartisan majority of 342-78.
“Considering these tough economic times – coupled with rising crime rates and fewer resources– passing the COPS bill was more important than ever,” said Johnson. “Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day for us. The least we can do is provide them with some help. ”
The COPS Improvements Act is designed to put 50,000 additional police officers on America’s streets over the next five years by authorizing $1.25 billion a year for COPS hiring grants. It also authorizes $350 million a year for COPS technology grants and $200 million a year for hiring community prosecutors.
Created in 1994 under the Clinton Administration, the COPS hiring grants program has been successful in helping local law enforcement agencies hire 117,000 additional police officers from 1995 to 2005. Independent studies confirm the COPS program contributed to the national crime rate reduction during this 10-year stretch.
“Local police forces have been particularly strained in recent years and 249 more officers would give our forces a much-needed boost,” said Johnson.
Since 1995, the COPS program has invested more than $177 million in Georgia law enforcement agencies, which was used to hire more than 2,400 officers and provide more than $24 million in technology upgrades.
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