Otero County Sheriff’s Office awarded grant

OTERO COUNTY, New Mexico (KVIA)- The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the Otero County Sheriff's Office with a grant for $570,000 to hire additional deputies and increase the agency's community policing initiatives in the county.

The grant comes from the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, a program created to support local law enforcement agencies in their efforts.

According to the Sheriff's Office the grant will help increase patrol coverage, improve response times, and strengthen relationships with residents in the county.

The Otero County Sheriff's Office says that the grant will "help us put more deputies on the streets and give our team the resources needed to serve our citizens with the professionalism and compassion they deserve".

The Sheriff's Office also stated that the new funding will also be used to support their outreach programs, engagement in the county, and improve training like crisis intervention strategies.