That money will help the police department hire one officer.
The cash is part of a grant from the national Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). This year's funds will help 62 different agencies in 32 states and Puerto Rico to hire a combined 269 law enforcement officers, according to a Department of Justice news release.
The federal grant pays the local agencies up to $75,000 for each new officer - enough to provide 75 percent of that new employee's total salary and benefits for three years. The agency is then required to keep that COPS-funded officer on board for at least one more budget cycle.
The grant money is intended to enhance the community policing capacity to address violent crime, according to the news release.
Salt Lake City tied with Tennessee's Springfield Police Department for the smallest grant awarded this year, but 18 other states saw no cash at all.
- Steve Gehrke
