GLEN CARBON - On September 30th, Chief Todd Link executed an agreement to receive $250,000 in COPS Grant funds for the Glen Carbon Police Department. This grant money is part of $156 million in grant funding made available by the U.S. Department of Justice in Fiscal Year 2022. COPS Grant funding assists local police agencies across the country in hiring additional sworn officers.
Chief Link clarified this COPS Grant will pay up to $125,000 over 36 months for each of two additional sworn positions to be hired in January or February 2023. The infusion of this grant money into the police personnel budget will bring the authorized sworn staffing of the Glen Carbon Police Department to 28 officers.
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Chief Link said, “Like so many other agencies, we’ve struggled during the last couple years with staffing shortages brought on by injuries, illnesses, and family matters. These two additional officers will help us focus our time on community policing and problem solving, especially in our business district areas.”
COPS Grant funding is awarded each year on a competitive basis to those agencies which identify a specific crime or disorder issue in their jurisdiction and then engage community policing strategies to reduce that crime.
As part of his grant application process, Chief Link proposed to double the current number of Business District Officers to four and then establish a Crime Prevention Unit focused on eliminating theft-related property crimes in and around the Village business corridor. Chief Link said, “Our goal with these grant funds is to set up a business watch - similar to a neighborhood watch – in 2023. This will enable our officers to work cooperatively with our community members to identify and eliminate those conditions which contribute to property crimes like burglaries, thefts, and retail thefts.”
