(CNN) -- The
federal government
will give $1 billion
in grants to law
enforcement agencies
in every state to
pay for the hiring
and rehiring of law
enforcement
officers, Vice
President Joe Biden
and Attorney General
Eric Holder
announced Tuesday.
Police
officers
in
Chicago,
Illinois,
patrol
the
streets
in
November
2008.
The money comes from
the stimulus bill --
the American
Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of
2009 -- the
officials said. The
law is designed to
help pull the U.S.
out of its recession
by providing and
saving jobs, and
helping those most
affected by the
downturn in the
economy.
Beneficiaries can
include state, local
and tribal
governments.
The Department of
Justice received
more than 7,200
applications for
more than 39,000
officer positions,
representing a total
of $8.3 billion in
requested funding.
"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,"
said Attorney
General
Eric Holder
in a statement.
Biden spoke of the
bravery of police
officers who never
know when they might
be shot, even on a
simple call.
With rows of police
officers standing
behind him, he
pointed out the
hazards and
uncertainty of
police work.
"It's just
astounding to me how
much we take for
granted what you do,
and thankfully how
much you take for
granted what you
do," said
Biden.
"We ask you to go
out to defend us,
and you're entitled
to be equipped to
defend us," he
added.
The Recovery Act
includes $4 billion
in Department of
Justice grant
funding to local law
enforcement. Some of
this money was
distributed to
states previously to
help crime victims,
women who are
targets of violence,
Internet crimes
against children and
other needs.
The current round of
grants will be
awarded to 1,046 law
enforcement agencies
in all 50 states,
and will provide 100
percent of the
approved salary and
benefits for 4,699
officers for three
years. Police
departments that
receive the money
must retain the
grant-funded
positions for a
fourth year.
The grants will be
administered by the
U.S. Department of
Justice's Office of
Community Oriented
Policing Services
(COPS).
Funding decisions
were based on
reported crimes for
the previous
calendar year,
community policing
activities, budget
changes, and
poverty,
unemployment, and
foreclosure rates in
the area.
"These officers will
go to the places
where they are
needed the most,"
Holder said.
Philadelphia Police
Commissioner Charles
Ramsey, who attended
the news conference,
said five police
officers were killed
in the line of duty
in his city between
May 3, 2008, and
February 13, 2009.
"So violence is very
much a concern here
in Philadelphia," he
said. "There is far
too much violence
taking place every
day on the streets
of our city."
Pennsylvania plans
to create or save 93
law enforcement
positions statewide
by awarding more
than $20 million to
19
law enforcement
agencies.
The Philadelphia
Police Department
will be able to
create and or
preserve 50 jobs,
according to the
statement explaining
the grants.
Pennsylvania is one
of the hardest-hit
states in terms of
economic decline,
officials said.
More than 19 percent
of the families in
Philadelphia live in
poverty, and the
unemployment rate
jumped from 6.4
percent in 2008 to
8.8 percent in 2009
