$625,000 award allows APD to hire five additional officers
The Apopka City Council voted 5-0 yesterday to accept a federal grant to hire five additional officers for the Apopka Police Department. The grant is being offered through the 2016 COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The estimated amount of Federal funds to be awarded over the three year grant period is $625,000; the local match to the City of Apopka will be $339,800 over the same period.
The APD was already scheduled to hire five additional officers in the 2016-17 budget, but the CHP grant is in addition to those new hires. APD Chief Michael McKinley said the additional officers could be absorbed into future plans to increase the APD police force closer to a goal of three officers per 1,000 residents. Currently the APD is at 2.36 per 1,000.
“We are excited to be able to continue to provide the level of service the community deserves," said McKinley. "The department has been falling behind due to the growth within the city of Apopka. The five officers the council approved in this budget, along with the five additional officers we were able to get with the Federal grant, will allow us to continue to serve the community at a high level.”
According to McKinley's presentation to the City Council last week, the CHP award recipients must retain all sworn officer positions funded under the 2016 CHP award for a minimum of 12 months following the 36-month Federal funding period. The retained positions must be added to the law enforcement budget with local funds, over and above the number of locally-funded positions that would have existed in the absence of the award. Award recipients may not reduce their locally funded number of sworn officer positions during the three-year CHP award period as a direct result of receiving CHP funding. Under CHP, the non-supplanting requirement means that an award recipient receiving CHP funds to hire a new officer position must hire the additional position on or after the official award start date, above its current budgeted (funded) level of sworn officer positions.
APD Captain Randall Fernandez pointed out the forward-looking strategy Apopka will need during this growth phase.
“The Mayor and City Council members have been very supportive of the police department and have continued to invest in the safety and security of the citizens of Apopka. These grant positions, along with the city’s leadership commitment, will ensure the department is poised to handle current and future needs of the citizens.”
