Texas Border Business
The Department of Justice announced that the Edinburg Police Department has been awarded $1 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program to expand its workforce and continue serving the community as its needs and Edinburg grow.
As calls for service in the City increase in demand, the addition of eight new officers will allow Edinburg PD to enhance its community outreach efforts through the development of community watch groups, the Edinburg Citizens Police Academy, and various mentorship programs.
The city of Edinburg Grants Administration Department submitted the grant request on June 15, 2022. The competitive award program intends to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. Its emphasis on continuing officer presence and building a rapport with the community will continue to benefit the city of Edinburg for years to come.
“We are thankful to the Department of Justice for their continued support in our community policing efforts here in Edinburg,” Edinburg Police Chief Jaime Ayala says. “It is with their grant opportunities that it has been made possible to extend our reach into the community.”
In addition, the Edinburg Police Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services Division has developed a number of programs that allow its officers to interact with residents, including food distributions, Movies with a Cop, Coffee with a Cop, and Blue Santa, which have all successfully promoted public trust, engagement and reporting of crimes.
The DOJ’s awards will provide direct funding to 180 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing organizations like the Edinburg Police Department to hire full-time enforcement professionals. Overall, COPS received 711 applications for the Fiscal Year 2022.
To learn more about the CHP awards, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For more information on how you can apply to be a part of the Edinburg Police Department, visit the city of Edinburg’s website at https://cityofedinburg.com/departments/police/hiring_process.php.
