W.Va. cops receive DOJ grant to hire more officers

By Wendy Holdren
The Register-Herald

BECKLEY, W.Va. — The U.S. Department of Justice announced $107 million Monday in grants to help communities hire police officers, $375,000 of which will be awarded to the City of Beckley.

Through the DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), funding is being awarded to nearly 200 law enforcement agencies across the nation, aimed at creating, and in some cases protecting, 866 law enforcement positions. 

Beckley Police Chief Lonnie Christian said the city will use its part of the grant to hire an additional three officers. 

"It provides extra help and takes the burden off the city to help fund these extra officers for community policing projects," Christian said. 

With the rise in drug-related gun violence, he is especially looking forward to having a full staff to combat these issues and be more proactive in preventing them.

"Right now, we're low staffed. To have extra time, we have to pay overtime to deal with bigger community issues. With this grant funding, it'll give us three extra officers to have on the streets, not just assisting with the call volume."

Christian said in order for the officers to effectively do their jobs, they have to have cooperation and trust with the community. The only way to build that trust is by having the manpower and time to interact with the community. 

Beckley currently has five officers at the West Virginia State Police Academy, three of whom are set to graduate in two weeks, and two others who will graduate in December. 

The department has applied for the DOJ grant in the past, Christian noted, but this is the first successful application for many years.

Beckley is currently accepting applications for new officers; seven applicants will likely be hired. 

"We're looking for good, qualified individuals who want to make a difference in their community."

Applications can be obtained at the Beckley Police Department, 340 Prince St., or at City Hall, 409 S. Kanawha St. 

The deadline to apply is Oct. 16 at 4:30 p.m. Officers must pass a physical agility test and a written test. 

Christian also added that the city agrees to keep the officers hired through the grant for an additional two years after the grant period has expired. 

In a release, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said ensuring local law enforcement officers have the resources they need to serve their communities fairly, faithfully and effectively is among the DOJ's highest priorities.

"These awards will not only keep more officers on the beat — they will address specific issue areas like violent crime, school safety, homeland security and community trust. They will help our law enforcement agencies become more efficient and more responsive to the needs of their jurisdictions. And they will promote the ongoing efforts of the Department of Justice as we work to build the safe, secure, and supportive communities that every American deserves."

The COPS Hiring Program provides funding directly to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies for the hiring and rehiring of entry-level career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs and increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

All CHP applicants were asked to identify a specific crime and disorder problem area and how funding would be used to initiate or enhance their capacity to implement community policing approaches to that problem area.

In 2015, the COPS Office gave additional consideration to applicant agencies selecting the category of "Building Trust," and those agencies were encouraged to refer to the final report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing for suggested actions to incorporate into their community policing strategies.

Additional consideration was also given to agencies that selected the areas of school based policing, homicide or violent crime, and homeland security. Applicants who committed to hiring or rehiring at least one military veteran under CHP also received additional consideration for funding.

The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has invested over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 127,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance.

For more information, visit cops.usdoj.gov. 

Copyright 2015 The Register-Herald