<<<Back to News Center 2012

Monday, June 25, 2012

Nearly $3 Million in Federal Funds to Hire 41 Police Officers in Puerto Rico

Washington, DC—Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded Puerto Rico nearly $3 million in federal funds to be used to hire 41 cops throughout the Island, pursuant to the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Hiring program.

The U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, and the director of the COPS Office, Bernard Melekian, made the official grant announcement this afternoon. Puerto Rico will receive a total of $2,957,003. Of that amount, Ponce will receive $1,141,088 to hire 15 officers; San Juan will receive $982,766 to hire 15 officers; Caguas will receive $649,908 to hire eight officers; Mayaguez will receive $129,866 to hire two officers; and Orocovis will receive $53,375 to hire one officer.

A unique feature of the funding award, one that applies in both the states and Puerto Rico, is that all new officers hired under the grant must be military veterans that have served at least 180 days of active military service, any part of which occurred on or after September 11, 2001.

“I am pleased with this allocation of funds to our Island at the moment when we need it most. when we need it the most. These funds go directly to local law enforcement agencies to be used to hire or rehire police officers to prevent crime and apprehend criminals in our communities,” said Pierluisi.

“The fact that the officers hired with these funds must be military veterans is consistent with my philosophy that the government should take all reasonable steps to ensure that those men and women who have served in our military can find good jobs when they come home,” the Resident Commissioner added.

This year’s grants provide 75 percent funding for entry-level salaries and benefits for three years for newly-hired, full-time officer positions or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a future date, as a result of local budget cuts. Any additional costs above the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits, up to $125,000, are the responsibility of the law enforcement agency that receives the funds.



o