Over $5 million in funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will go toward the hiring and rehiring of Oregon law enforcement officers, according to the offices of Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden.
In a press release dated July 28, Merkley announced that the funding would pay the salary and benefits for 21 full-time police officers in Oregon for three years.
The only requirement is that all police departments receiving grants must retain the grant-funded position for a fourth year.
“We’re continuing to see the Recovery Act create jobs in Oregon,” Merkley said on his Web site. “In these tough economic times, it is critical that we support local governments’ efforts to protect our communities. By adding police officers to the streets, we’re putting Oregonians to work and looking out for our families and our children.”
Approved by Congress in February, the 2009 Recovery Act includes federal tax cuts and funding in education, health care and infrastructure. The act is worth $787 billion, $1 billion of which goes to fund the hiring and rehiring of police officers across the country.
The U.S. Department of Justice, which administered the grants, received over 7,200 applications for more than 39,000 officer positions. The nine communities in Oregon receiving the grants include Astoria, Grants Pass, Gresham, Klamath Falls, Lane County, Oregon City, Redmond, Springfield and Sutherlin.
Agency name Officers awarded Award amount
Astoria Police Department 1 $187,048
Grants Pass Department of Public Safety 2 $270,104
Gresham Police Department 6 $1.565.874
Klamath Falls 2 $508,492
Lane County 3 $763,782
Oregon City 2 $576,598
Redmond Police Department 2 $503,390
Springfield Police Department 2 $531,168
Sutherlin Police Department 1 $243,649