Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that four communities across the State of Maine have received a total of $750,000 to hire law enforcement officers. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program.  

“In Maine and throughout the country, the dedicated men and women of our nation’s law enforcement community put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We welcome this important funding, which will help provide our local police departments with the necessary resources and officers to protect families and promote public safety.”

The funding was allocated as follows:

·       Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office received $375,000;

·       Town of Ashland received $125,000;

·       Town of North Berwick received $125,000; and

·       City of Sanford received $125,000.

The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers.  The Program provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.