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Six new police officers will soon be hired in Asbury Park.

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. announced Wednesday the city’s police department will receive $750,000 to hire additional police through a Community Oriented Policing Services [COPS] grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office, according to a news release from Pallone’s office.

A total of $1.37 million in grants to create or preserve law enforcement jobs in Asbury Park and Long Branch will be allocated.

Asbury Park police will receive $750,000 to hire six police officers and the Long Branch Police Department will receive $625,000 to hire five police officers.

Pallone has consistently supported robust funding for the COPS Hiring Program [CHP], which provides grants to address the full-time sworn officer needs of state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide.  The CHP grant funds go directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

“Safety is essential to the future growth and success of our communities, and I believe that having these additional officers in Asbury Park and Long Branch will make a significant difference,” said Congressman Pallone.  “This is a wise investment that will help the Asbury Park and Long Branch police departments add or retain the manpower needed to fight crime more effectively and keep our streets safe.”

In 2014, CHP grands covered 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and benefits for three years for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off, as a result of local budget cuts, the release stated.

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