Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Donald M. Payne was pleased to announce that the US Department of Justice awarded $10,010,765 in Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to the cities of East Orange and Elizabeth and the township of Irvington.

Announced today by Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder, the grants will be administered by the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services through the federal agency’s COPS Hiring Recovery Program.  The grants will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for entry level officer positions over a three year period.  The police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant funded positions for a fourth year.  The funding provides much needed support to state and local government budgets, and will help the nation’s law enforcement agencies add and retain the manpower needed to fight crime more effectively through community policing.

The cities of East Orange and Elizabeth received $3,246,950 and $4,961,943, respectively. The township of Irvington received $1,801,872.

"I am glad that we were able to secure this vital funding for East Orange, Elizabeth and Irvington,” Payne said.  “These grants provide our communities with a two-fold benefit.  It creates jobs which is good for the economy while making our streets safer."

For more information about the grants, or to learn which law enforcement agencies received funding, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov

###