Long Beach Police to Get Grant

The Long Beach Police Department will receive $6.2 million to hire 36 community policing officers, the federal government announced Thursday.

“We are very excited about the prospect of additional staffing,” said Long Beach Police Chief Jerome E. Lance.

The 930-officer department was one of 367 nationwide to get grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Among area departments, West Covina police will receive $225,000 to help hire three officers.

“We are pleased that COPS can help Los Angeles-area law enforcement agencies advance community policing and better protect the area’s communities,” said Carl R. Peed, director of the federal program.

The grants fund 75% of the salary and benefits of each new officer for three years, up to $75,000, said a Long Beach police spokeswoman, Maria Carolina Rozas. The officers must work with residents to solve neighborhood problems, she said.

In Long Beach, community policing officers often walk a beat, help to organize neighborhood meetings, and tackle quality of life issues such as gang activity, drug sales and vandalism, said Sgt. Paul LeBaron.

“We’ve always been involved in searching out grants that benefit our Police Department, but one of this size is very exciting,” he said.

Long Beach was one of 14 police departments in the state to receive grants. Only Fresno received a larger grant, $6.9 million for 92 officers. Sacramento and San Francisco police also will get federal funds. To date, COPS has funded the hiring of more than 114,000 officers in more than 12,400 agencies.