GRESHAM AWARDED $250,000 FEDERAL COMMUNITY POLICING GRANT
News Release from City of Gresham
Posted on FlashAlert: September 30th, 2014 12:20 PM
GRESHAM, Ore. - The City of Gresham was notified this week that it has been awarded a $250,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant through the U.S. Department of Justice. Funds from this grant will be used to hire two roving school resource officers, one focused on gang issues, and another focused on truancy.
The grant award represents a growing strategic relationship between the City of Gresham and the U.S. Department of Justice. Gresham has received two other federal COPS grants, one in 2009, and another in 2011.
"We have worked tremendously hard to build relationships with agency officials at the Department of Justice and to share with them Gresham's unique challenges with law enforcement, and opportunities to work together," said Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis. "This is a perfect example of the federal government working closely with a local agency to pursue shared goals, and the COPS program has been a tremendous success."
Gresham received the largest COPS grant award in Oregon during this wave of funding, at over twice the amount of the next closest agencies. With one of Oregon's lowest permanent property tax rates, Gresham relies heavily on state and federal partnerships to tackle critical law enforcement issues.
News of this latest round of COPS funding is well-timed, given Gresham's efforts to combat and prevent gang activity. The East Metro Gang Enforcement Team, funded through the Oregon Legislature, continues to make progress in gang enforcement, and their work has been supported by the addition of dedicated civilian gang outreach workers from the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, who are funded by the Gresham Police Department this year. In addition, Gresham held its first Gang Prevention and Enforcement Summit last May, coordinating a multi-agency approach to gang activity ahead of the summer months.
"The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues," said COPS Program Director Ron Davis. "Funding from this year's program will allow many cities and counties to focus newly sworn personnel on issues related to violent crime, property crime and school safety."
Gresham's COPS grant was supported by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who all petitioned the agency to consider Gresham's request.
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The grant award represents a growing strategic relationship between the City of Gresham and the U.S. Department of Justice. Gresham has received two other federal COPS grants, one in 2009, and another in 2011.
"We have worked tremendously hard to build relationships with agency officials at the Department of Justice and to share with them Gresham's unique challenges with law enforcement, and opportunities to work together," said Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis. "This is a perfect example of the federal government working closely with a local agency to pursue shared goals, and the COPS program has been a tremendous success."
Gresham received the largest COPS grant award in Oregon during this wave of funding, at over twice the amount of the next closest agencies. With one of Oregon's lowest permanent property tax rates, Gresham relies heavily on state and federal partnerships to tackle critical law enforcement issues.
News of this latest round of COPS funding is well-timed, given Gresham's efforts to combat and prevent gang activity. The East Metro Gang Enforcement Team, funded through the Oregon Legislature, continues to make progress in gang enforcement, and their work has been supported by the addition of dedicated civilian gang outreach workers from the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, who are funded by the Gresham Police Department this year. In addition, Gresham held its first Gang Prevention and Enforcement Summit last May, coordinating a multi-agency approach to gang activity ahead of the summer months.
"The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues," said COPS Program Director Ron Davis. "Funding from this year's program will allow many cities and counties to focus newly sworn personnel on issues related to violent crime, property crime and school safety."
Gresham's COPS grant was supported by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who all petitioned the agency to consider Gresham's request.
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