EL PASO, TEXAS — Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) announced the City of El Paso will receive $2.25 million 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 18 additional police officers in El Paso.
“El Paso has consistently ranked among the safest cities in the nation and it’s thanks to our dedicated law enforcement in the region. To continue ensuring the public safety, I’m pleased to announce a new $2.25 million federal COPS grant that I helped support and fund through my role on the House Appropriations Committee. I want to thank Mayor Johnson and Police Chief Pacillas for their partnership on this key investment that will keep communities along the borderland safe and secure,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales.
“Public safety is one of my top priorities, and this investment represents a major step forward in our ongoing efforts to keep El Paso one of the safest large cities in the country. I want to thank Congressman Tony Gonzales for his support of El Paso and for his leadership in helping secure this critical funding. His commitment to strengthening public safety and investing in our law enforcement officers makes a real difference for our community. This COPS grant will help ensure our police department has the resources it needs to continue serving with excellence and integrity,” said El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson.
Congressman Tony Gonzales expressed his support for the City of El Paso’s request for COPS grant funding to Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year. To view the letter, click here.
Additionally, Congressman Gonzales sits on the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, which is responsible for funding the COPS grant program and other law enforcement-related initiatives. Congressman Gonzales has consistently supported this mission through securing more funding for the COPS grant program and helping communities across Texas obtain this funding through letters of support and meetings with the DOJ.
In July, Congressman Gonzales met with El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson and the City of El Paso Police Department to discuss the need for additional public safety resources in El Paso. Congressman Gonzales is currently working on two additional public safety funding priorities for the borderland region in Congress. He submitted community project funding requests for radio and equipment enhancements for the Socorro Police Department and a Drone Workforce Development Center at UTEP, which will help law enforcement and other related homeland and public safety personnel expand law enforcement capabilities. Both of these projects have advanced through the House Appropriations Committee and are awaiting a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
###