Seal Beach : City Won’t Apply for Grant to Add Officer
The City Council has decided not to apply for a grant that would pay 42% of the salary for a new police officer for three years, saying it is doubtful the city would be able to keep the position after the grant ended.
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Justice under a program called COPS, which stands for Community-Oriented Policing Services. The program’s goal is to put more officers on the street.
The city has already agreed to hire one new officer under the program but decided not to seek a second additional officer. The city will get $75,000 from the COPS program for the officer. The estimated cost of salary and benefits is $180,000 over three years, with the city paying $105,000.
The grants are contingent on cities making a “good-faith effort” to keep the new position open after grant funding runs out. The council was unsure, in light of the Orange County bankruptcy, whether the city will have money to keep the position.
Councilman Frank Laszlo also said if the city has more money for police, he would rather give current officers a raise than add a person.
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