City receives $625,000 from Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice Awards $3.13 Million to Orange County and Apopka for Police Officers

Congressman John L. Mica (R-Sanford) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded Orange County $2.5 million and the City of Apopka $625,000 to offset funds for 25 new police officers. Orange County will add 20 new officers and Apopka will add five.

Nationwide, only four cities – Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Miami – received more funding from the Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program.

“It’s important to give our community the tools they need to ensure our citizens are safe,” says Congressman John Mica. “Orange County and Apopka will be safer with more police officers patrolling our streets.”

Across the country, $119 million is being distributed to hire new police officers. The COPS Hiring Program provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new and/or rehire career law enforcement officers, and to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. The FY 2016 CHP grant program was an open solicitation. All local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority were eligible to apply.

“The City of Apopka has a well-documented need for more police officers,” says Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer. “These additional officers will go a long way in allowing the City of Apopka to reach this goal and ensuring the citizens of Apopka continue to have a safe community in which to live.”

"We appreciate the hard work that Congressman John Mica has accomplished," says County Commissioner Bryan Nelson. "We are looking forward to the difference that additional Law Enforcement Officers will make here in Orange County and Apopka."

"The funding from this grant will allow us to hire five more officers that are needed to patrol the streets of Apopka," said Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley. "It will help us increase our per-capita ratio using Federal funding and lessen the financial burden on the City while improving the services the Apopka Police Department provides to our community."

Use this link to learn more about the COPS Hiring Program.