Several Tampa Bay area law enforcement agencies are about to get some relief from federal stimulus funding, saving many jobs that were heading to the chopping block.
Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday that $1 billion in grant funding will go toward hiring and rehiring law enforcement officers across the nation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
In Florida, 66 agencies - including the Pasco and Polk county sheriff's offices and the Plant City, Tarpon Springs, St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach, New Port Richey, Brooksville and Pinellas Park police departments - were awarded grants.
The $87 million in funding to Florida agencies will put 428 law enforcement officers back on the streets for the next four years, officials said.
The competition was fierce, with the Department of Justice receiving more than 7,200 applications for more than 39,000 law enforcement positions, representing $8.3 billion. Only 1,046 law enforcement agencies were awarded grants.
"We were told there was $1 in funding for every $8 requested," said New Port Richey Police Chief Martin Rickus.
His department was slated to lose three patrol officer positions next year, but with nearly $395,000 in funding, two of those are saved.
The grants fund 100 percent of officers' salaries and benefits for the first three years, but the recipient agencies are required to commit to funding a fourth year for those positions.
Polk and Pasco counties were the Bay area's big winners, receiving $5.7 million and $4.4 million, respectively. That translates into 32 deputies in Polk and 24 in Pasco.
The Plant City Police Department received funding for three new officers but asked for 11.
"We're tickled about the three and we'll get good use out of them," said Capt. Jerry Stwan.
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