HUTCHINS – The City of Hutchins was the only Police Department in Dallas County to be awarded a United States Department of Justice Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant.
The agency was one of the 33 agencies in Texas to receive the COPS grant funding.
Photo courtesy of the City of Hutchins
City of Hutchins Police Chief Steve Perry said he was proud to notify the citizens of Hutchins of the $500,000 federal COPS grant because it will enhance his department with new officers and promote additional safety in the city.
“Through support from the Hutchins City Council and support through the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services, the city of Hutchins COPS grant application has been approved, awarding federal funds to hire four additional police officers in the City of Hutchins,” Perry said.
The grant process has been in the works since the spring of this year. In April, the Hutchins Police Department staff met with the Mayor and City Council to discuss the various grant opportunities to hire additional police officers. The City Council, in support of public safety, authorized the PD staff to request grant funding through the United States Department of Justice Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office.
After an arduous application process, the Hutchins Police Department staff prepared the grant application to request funding through the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services.
When a grant is approved, the governmental entity receiving the funding under this grant opportunity must agree to contribute 25 percent of the funding over three years and agree to the continued employment of the approved positions after the grant cost-sharing period.
Earlier this month, the Hutchins Police Department received the good news through the COPS office that the requested grant award had been approved, awarding the city $500,000 to hire the four additional police officers.
“Receiving these funds will increase minimum staffing levels in the city’s police department patrol and criminal investigations divisions,” Perry explained. “The City of Hutchins has had an increase in calls for service and motor vehicle accidents every year for the past five years because of the growth in the Southern Dallas County region.
Perry also revealed the residential population is expected to double over the next five years in Hutchins. These positions will help minimum staffing levels and increase officer presence throughout the city since the mission of the Hutchins Police Department is to effectively and efficiently provide for the protection of lives and property, preserve the public peace, and provide needed community services with the highest level of professionalism and ethical standards.”
Perry said the COPS grant has funded 1,730 additional Police Officer positions across the United States for $ 216,809,571 over the past years.
“Receiving this grant further promotes the mission of the Hutchins Police Department to keep the community safe,” the police chief concluded.
