Durbin, Duckworth Announce $11 Million In DOJ Awards For Illinois To Advance Community Policing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Illinois law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $11,076,506 in funding from the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to hire 80 new full-time law enforcement professionals, including 50 in Chicago. This funding is part of a nationwide announcement of $139 million in COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grants to 183 agencies across the nation.

"These federal grants will help communities around our state hire and train additional law enforcement officers without putting an extra burden on local budgets," Durbin said. "By investing in community policing efforts, we can improve public safety and build stronger relationships between local law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve."

"Making sure our local police departments have the staff necessary to serve our communities is one way we can help enhance public safety," Duckworth said. "I will continue to work with Senator Durbin to help ensure that our state's neighborhoods are safer and protected."

The following Illinois law enforcement agencies have been awarded 2021 CHP grants:

• Calumet City: $1,170,000 to hire 5 officers
• Chicago: $6,250,000 to hire 50 officers
• Chicago Heights: $500,000 to hire 4 officers
• Chicago Ridge: $250,000 to hire 2 officers
• Danville: $750,000 to hire 6 officers
• Village of Dolton: $1,156,506 to hire 5 officers
• Village of Maywood: $500,000 to hire 4 officers
• Village of Rosemont: $250,000 to hire 2 officers
• Village of Worth: $250,000 to hire 2 officers

CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

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