Oakland will be receiving a $4.5 million grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to hire new police officers, Congresswoman Barbara Lee announced at a press conference Tuesday morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland.

“Bolstering local law enforcement is an important component of developing a comprehensive approach to creating healthy and safe communities and preventing the violence that plagues too many of our nation’s cities,” said Lee. “

These competitive grants are essential to our police force, and this financial support will make a positive impact in the efforts to make our communities safer.”

Oakland received the highest amount of funding in California. Alameda County will receive $2.3 million to hire new officers.

Among those attended the media event were Associate Attorney General of the United States Tony West, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, OPD Police Chief Sean Whent, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Acting Director Joshua Ederheime and Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.

The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community-policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.

Grantees for the 2013 Hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and community policing plans.

“This is a great day for the people of Oakland, who deserve and need a stronger police force,” Mayor Quan said. “This growth is part of a comprehensive strategy to rebuild the Oakland Police Department, and we’re seeing it pay off.”

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