FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne Police Department received a $1.25 million Community Oriented Policing Services grant to hire 10 more police officers. A resolution seeking City Council’s approval to participate in the grant will be introduced at the council’s meeting next Tuesday, November 26, with discussion scheduled for Tuesday, December 3rd, and possible final passage the following Tuesday, December 10. If approved, the City will provide a percentage of matching funds as part of the grant, which would be part of Fort Wayne's 2015 budget. The academy class for the 10 officers is tentatively scheduled to start in January 2015.
In a statement released by the City, Police Chief Rusty York said, “This is great news for our community. To be able to add police officers to serve and protect citizens and businesses is a big win for Fort Wayne…Our department is committed to providing the best services possible and being accessible to the public.“
Mayor Tom Henry said “Investing in public safety is critical in our efforts to being a City that values quality of life, strong neighborhoods, and being a vibrant place for business and job growth…We want citizens and businesses to feel safe and be encouraged about the future of Fort Wayne. By having additional police resources, we’re going to continue with the positive momentum in our community.”
Earlier this year, local funding was approved to hire 20 new police officers. The academy class for those officers will start early next year.
