WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced the City of San Antonio will receive $6,250,000 in funding from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) through the Department of Justice (DOJ). This award is administered under the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) and will be used to onboard 50 additional police officers in San Antonio, which is one of only three cities to be awarded the maximum amount of funding authorized for the program.
“Reducing crime in our communities starts with backing law enforcement with the resources they need. I’ve been a proud supporter of the COPS grant program and am pleased that San Antonio will receive the maximum grant amount this year to hire additional police officers,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “This new funding is a testament to the strong partnership of the San Antonio delegation at all levels of government, and I look forward to seeing our communities become safer as a result.”
“The COPS Hiring Program provides our local law enforcement agencies with the resources they need to protect our communities, and the COPS LEMHWA Program ensures they have access to mental health care. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to keep both these programs fully funded. We’re seeing the results of that today right here in San Antonio,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “I stand with the men and women in blue, and I will continue to provide them with the resources they need to do their jobs well. Thank you to my fellow Appropriator, Congressman Tony Gonzales, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, City Manager Erik Walsh, Chief of Police William McManus, and all my colleagues in the San Antonio Congressional Delegation for working with me to secure these federal dollars.”
In addition to San Antonio, three additional TX-23 cities received CHP funding to hire additional police officers:
- The City of Castroville, $250,000
- The City of Pearsall, $187,500
- The City of Marfa, $121,500
Uvalde CISD received $500,000 in new school security funding under the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
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