Lake County Record Bee: Grant program aids law enforcement

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced on Tuesday a COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant of $125,000 to the City of Lakeport. This will be used to retain a law enforcement officer who will serve as a liaison to Lakeport’s business community and neighborhood groups to support Lakeport’s crime reduction efforts.

The grant was made available through the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, otherwise known as COPS.

“By allowing the Lakeport Police Department to hire an additional officer, these federal funds will go a long way towards helping our law enforcement officers make our community safer,” said Thompson. “I am a proud supporter of the COPS Hiring Program and will continue working to make sure our cities and towns have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

Lakeport Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen and Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira applauded the city’s selection by the Department of Justice COPS program for this grant. It offers the opportunity to provide a business and neighborhood liaison to address crime issues affecting the community.

Silveira and Rasmussen thanked Thompson and his office for the support.

The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.