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Congressman Paul Tonko announced today that the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office has awarded the City of Gloversville a $520,400 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant. The Gloversville Police Department will use these funds to rehire two officer positions that were lost due to budget cuts.

“This grant program is important because it helps cities like Gloversville which are struggling to balance budgets and maintain services in a very difficult economy,” said Congressman Tonko. “With these funds, Gloversville will be able to rehire two officers and enhance public safety for its residents.”

“We are very excited to be one of only two cities in New York State to receive this grant,” said Gloversville Mayor Dayton King.  “This will bridge the funding gap while we restructure and prepare our city to expand our police force further in the future."

“The Gloversville Police Department is grateful and appreciative of this award and wish to thank all those who were involved in working to secure this funding,” said Chief Edgar Beaudin. “This grant will provide some needed relief and assistance as the department moves to rehire officers lost due to severe budget restrictions. The new officers will allow us to concentrate our efforts in re-establishing community wide visibility while at the same time addressing our high incidents of reported type one offenses."

Gloversville’s award was part of $298 million in CHP grants announced today for 379 different law enforcement agencies across the country. Gloversville was one of two cities in New York State to be awarded today through this grant program.

CHP grants provide 100 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits for three years (36 months) for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions, or for rehired officers who have been laid off or are scheduled to be laid off on a future date as a result of local budget cuts.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Justice which advances the practice of community policing nationwide. It makes grants to law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring of officers and provide training and technical assistance.

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