Congressman Jack Kingston - First District of Georgia

Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) today announced a $106,901 grant for the Alma Police Department.  The funding will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

“We’ve seen from experience that local initiatives go a lot further toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington,” Congressman Kingston said.  “This funding will provide tax relief by savings local tax dollars and, under the stewardship of Chief Livingston, will go a long way to fight crime more effectively through community policing.”

The grant will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for an entry level officer over a three year period.  The department will then be required to retain the grant-funded position for a fourth year.

“We are excited this police department was chosen as a recipient of the COPS grant,” said Alma Police Chief Stan Livingston.  “We appreciate Congressman Kingston’s support of our application and our community.”

The COPS Office within the Department of Justice was created through the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. As a component of the Justice Department, the mission of the COPS Office is to advance the practice of community policing as an effective strategy to improve public safety.

Since 1995, the COPS Office has invested $12.4 billion to help law enforcement advance the practice of community policing which focuses on moving law enforcement from a reactive to a more proactive role.