A grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will go toward covering the cost of police presence in Newtown schools, the federal office announced Friday. The $150,000 COPS (Community-Oriented Policing Services) grant will cover the cost of two of the officers currently patrolling the town's schools.
It's the second large Department of Justice grant the town has received, after a $650,000 grant to cover overtime and other expenses the department accrued in the aftermath of the Dec. 14 shooting.
"In the wake of past tragedies, it's clear that we need to be willing to take all possible steps to ensure that our kids are safe when they go to school," said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. "These critical investments represent the Justice Department’s latest effort to strengthen key law enforcement capabilities, and to provide communities with the resources they need to protect our young people. Especially in a time of increased challenges and limited budgets, our top priority must always be the safety and well-being of our children."
Newtown officials applied for the grant in June, and First Selectman Pat Llodra said the town had been persistent in checking on its status for the past few months.
"Every week I call the federal contacts to say, when are we going to hear about the grant?" she said at a September town meeting.
The funds are part of a larger package of grants, including $2.2 million to the city of Bridgeport, $1.7 million to the city of Hartford and a national total of $125 million to 263 cities and counties across America, expected to create 937 new law enforcement positions. Newtown's allocation is part of a nearly $45 million purse expected to create 356 new school police positions nationwide.
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