LAKE CHARLES, La. – In a bid to reduce violent crime in the city, the Lake Charles Police Department has been awarded a $745,796 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The grant, part of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, will fund the hiring of seven new community police officers, including four immediate hires and three additional officers over the next three years.
‘This grant will allow the Lake Charles Police Department to enhance law enforcement operations and increase protection in the community by hiring new personnel,’ said U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley.
Lake Charles Police Chief Donald Dixon said the department plans on hiring four new officers immediately and then would like to add three more over the next three years, for a total of seven new officer positions. He said the officers will be part of their community policing program, which works with neighborhood watch groups and maintains contacts with members of the community in order to strengthen policing operations.
‘We’re really excited to be able to hire additional officers,’ Chief Dixon said. ‘This grant comes at a time of economic expansion for our area, and we want to be ready.’
The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
Grantees for the 2014 hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and community policing plans.
Related Federal Cases
- Violent Crime Soars in Louisiana 1943 · Louisiana
- Louisiana, Violent Crime Spike, 1983 · Louisiana
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- Louisiana Crime Surge, 1930 · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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