San Bernardino City Council accepts 2020 COPS Hiring Program Grant

On July 15, San Bernardino City Council accepted the 2020 COPS Hiring Program, which will allow the San Bernardino Police Department to hire new officers and rehire officers who were laid off due to budget cuts.

“Today we are authorizing the city manager to administer and accept the 2020 Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program Grant (CHP) in the amount of $5,383,549 for this grant period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023,” said City Manager Teri Ledoux.

Other items accepted by the council included authorizing the director of finance to amend the 2020/2021 fiscal year budget, allocating $1,658,701 in revenue and expenditures; along with authorizing the department to increase sworn staff from 254 to 267.

“The Department of Justice, COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant, is intended to reduce crime and promote public safety through community policing by providing support to law enforcement agencies nationwide. This grant supports hiring law enforcement officers to increase an agency’s community policing and crime prevention capabilities,” said Acting Chief of Police Eric McBride.

This grant funding provides support for up to 75 percent of the approved entry level salary for each newly hired or rehired full time police officers over the three year award period; this grant is inclusive of a 25 percent local cash match, in which the city filed a waiver based on severe fiscal distress.

“On June 25, 2020, the City received notification that the Police Department was awarded grant funding to hire 13 new officers, for three years, at a total of $5,383,549. All local cash match funds were waived,” concluded McBride.

According to the San Bernardino City Council agenda dated July 15, the police department intends to use the grant funds to support the newly adopted community-oriented policing model and reduce violent crime within the City.

For more information, visit http://www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us.