Hemet Police Department Awarded “Vets to Cops” Grant
The U.S. Department of Justice Office Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) recently announced that Hemet P.D. was awarded a “Vets to Cops” hiring grant. The grantees must hire military veterans who have served in the military and were deployed at least 180 days, since September 11, 2001. The Hemet Police Department was awarded $629,580 to fund three police officer positions for three years. The grant was presented to the Hemet City Council on August 14, 2012, and was unanimously approved.
Chief Dave Brown said, “The council continues to challenge us to go after any and all available grant funds and this one is great for both the vets and the city of Hemet.” The Hemet Police Department currently operates using over 1.3 million dollars in different grant awards. Chief Brown continued, “My staff has been very aggressive about going after every grant that would benefit the city, I am very proud we were chosen.”
COPS reported that there were 2,470 police agencies that were eligible and the Hemet Police Department was the only department in Riverside County to be awarded. Capt. Rob Webb said, “We are very pleased to hire the highly motivated, highly trained veterans.” Two of the officers that will be hired will be used to supplement the Restore Our Community Strategy (Hemet ROCS) program as the enforcement officers. The other will be used to supplement patrol staffing.
For further information please visit:
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2367