May 16, 2007 — Legislation passed by Congress Tuesday extending the COPS program may bring as much as $5 million and 74 additional police officers to the territory, Delegate Donna M. Christensen said.
Christensen hailed the passage of H.R. 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act, designed to help local law enforcement agencies hire more police officers over the next six years, according to a news release from the delegate's office. If passed by the Senate and signed by the president, the territory stands to gain an additional $5,246,334 in funding for the hiring of an additional 74 police officers. The re-authorization passed the House 384 to 34.
"This is indeed good news for the territory," Christensen said, according to the news release. "A bipartisan majority of the Congress has decided to reinvigorate this program's funding, which has been sharply reduced over the last six years." In addition, the COPS program will provide for 17 additional school resource officers and $135,341 in technology grants.
Since 1994, the Virgin Islands has received $17,196,314 in COPS funding and $443,619 in technology grants to enhance law enforcement capabilities, the news release said.
