Millions of dollars in federal stimulus money will go to hire more cops to patrol Philadelphia streets.
Philadelphia was one of 1,000 police departments across the country that will receive funding through the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), according to Vice President Joe Biden, who made the announcement at City Hall Tuesday morning.
“When we’re done, he said, “this will add up to not just a safe community, but a better economy. It’s not just about cops.”
Nearly $11 million will go to hire 50 new police officers. The money will pay police salaries and benefits for three years. After that the city will have to pay for the cost of the fourth year.
Other communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey received money including more than $2 million to bolster Trenton's police force. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh, Pa. and Camden, N.J. received no money.
Each community was awarded the money based on local crime rate, the state of the city’s finances and what it is doing in the way of community policing, said U.S. Attorney Eric Holder, who was also at City Hall Tuesday morning.
