October 01, 2015

CASTRO ANNOUNCES $500K FOR SAPD TO HIRE FOUR OFFICERS

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) today announced $500,000 in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Justice for the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) to hire four additional officers. SAPD will receive the funding through the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. 

"Ensuring SAPD has the resources and personnel it needs to protect our city is absolutely essential,"? said Rep. Castro. "Through the COPS program, the four new officers this federal funding affords will receive specialized training focused on both preventing crime and rebuilding trust between law enforcement and our community. Along with the recent $1 million grant SAPD received from the Department of Justice to support the purchase of body-worn camera technology, this grant will enhance safety for officers and civilians alike. I'm grateful the Department of Justice has shown such confidence in San Antonio's law enforcement, and I'm glad SAPD will be able to provide new jobs to four brave, service-minded San Antonians."

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is designed to advance public safety through community policing by addressing the full-time sworn officer needs of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity, and crime prevention efforts.

Congressman Castro sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch in support of SAPD's application for this grant award. 

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