Governor Martin O'Malley Joins Vice President Biden to Announce Funding for Local Law Enforcement Agencies
PHILADELPHIA, PA (July 28, 2009) –Governor Martin O’Malley joined Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder in Philadelphia today, where they made a major American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding announcement for law enforcement agencies across the nation. Joined by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, the Vice President announced local funding allocations for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, including more than $23 million to create 112 law enforcement positions in Maryland.
“We saw the value of COPS program first hand in the City of Baltimore. Once the nation’s most violent and drug addicted City in America, we worked with law enforcement and the people of our City to take our streets and neighborhoods back for our families. And together we achieved a 40 percent reduction in violent crime,” said Governor O’Malley, noting that a contributing factor to the success in Baltimore City was a $24 million COPS grant allowing the hiring of 200 additional police officers. “There is no greater or more solemn obligation we have as public servants than the protection of our citizens. Thanks to the leadership of President Obama and our federal delegation, local law enforcement agencies have an unprecedented opportunity to create or save jobs that directly impact the safety of our neighborhoods.”
“I’ve heard from state and local police around the country that lack of funding means fewer cops on our streets fighting gangs, drugs, and child predators and fewer prosecutions of criminals,” Senator Mikulski said. “That’s why, as Chairwoman of the Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee, I fought so hard to put funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support our law enforcement through hiring grants like these. The funds announced today build upon the $44 million already invested in Maryland state and local law enforcement agencies under the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants to fight crime. I know how important this funding is. It means saving jobs and saving lives. It means more cops on the beat in communities across Maryland and across the nation to combat violence, protect families, and fight crime that is destroying neighborhoods.”
Eight police departments are receiving a total of $23.2 million in Maryland, as part of the COPS Hiring Recovery Program of ARRA. The Maryland agencies receiving funding include:
At the State level, Maryland is also using ARRA funds to provide up to $10,000 per officer to help communities purchase radios, bullet-proof vests, computers, and other essential equipment to support each newly hired officer. Maryland is the first state in the nation to provide matching funds for equipment purchase.
“Investing in COPS will help save and create local jobs while enabling law enforcement to address critical public safety needs in our communities,” stated Congressman Steny Hoyer. “This is just another way that the Economic Recovery is working for Maryland.”
“The COPS program is an incredibly valuable tool as we work together with law enforcement to keep our families and communities safe. In these tough economic times, it is even more important that we continue to support these men and women who tirelessly work to protect our neighborhoods. In Congress, we worked alongside the President to fund these incredibly important positions,” said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
ARRA provides $1 billion in grant funding to the Department of Justice for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program. The COPS office received applications from 7,272 law enforcement agencies requesting more than 39,000 officer positions nationwide. COPS grants provide 100 percent funding for three years of entry-level salaries and benefits, and are awarded to localities and/or police departments to hire or rehire additional career law enforcement officers.
Following the passage of President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the O’Malley Brown Administration moved swiftly to capture more than $26 million in additional federal funding to put state-of-the-art law enforcement and information sharing technologies into the hands of our police at every level across our State. The O’Malley-Brown Administration is expanding the use of smart law enforcement technology across Maryland, including advanced fingerprinting technology, eliminating backlogs and expanding our DNA database, tracking and monitoring repeat violent offenders, and increased drug treatment funding. The O’Malley Brown Administration is putting families first by making public safety a top priority, with 66 fewer lives lost to homicides last year Statewide, the second highest reduction in homicides in nearly a quarter-century.
