Vice President, Attorney General announce $1 billion in recovery act grants for cops.(RECOVERY NEWS)

At a press conference in Philadelphia on July 28, Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder announced the allocation of $1 billion in new Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to support efforts of law enforcement agencies in each of the 50 states.

Funding for the grants, meant to supplement funds already appropriated by Congress for crime prevention in the nation's cities and towns, was contained in a provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice's COPS office.

The COPS funding comes at a time when budget deficits are forcing many local governments to consider furloughing or laying off police officers. The three-year grants will enable 1,046 state, local and tribal agencies nationwide to retain 881 existing officers and hire 3,818 new officers.

"These Recovery Act funds will pump much needed resources into communities through a program with a proven track record," the Attorney General said. "The tremendous demand for these grants is indicative of both the tough times our states, cities and tribes are facing, and the unyielding commitment by law enforcement to making our communities safer."

To view a list of communities that received funding through the Recovery Act COPS grants, visit cops.usdoj.gov.

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