El Paso receives $2.25 community policing hiring grant

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The City of El Paso received a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. The program aims to support the addition of new police officers and strengthen community policing efforts citywide.

"The grant will enable the El Paso Police Department to enhance public safety initiatives, reduce response times, and continue investing in programs that build trust between officers and the community," a city spokesperson explained.

The city describes the COPS Hiring Program as a competitive grant that allows municipalities to hire and rehire career law enforcement officers and to increase departments' community-oriented policing capacity.

The city spokesperson says that Congressman Tony Gonzales and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar championed the federal funding for El Paso.