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Cities Get Stimulus Grants for More Police Officers -- But Not in Immediate Area
Twenty-one police departments in Illinois are getting federal stimulus money to hire additional officers.

A total of $25.8 million is coming to these 21 Illinois departments to hire and train 106 police officers, and to pay their salaries for three years.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who announced the grants on Friday in Evergreen Park, says cities are struggling to pay their bills, and needed help to keep cops on the street.

The question arises of what these cities will do with these officers on their payrolls after the three-year grant period is up. Durbin says he hopes economic conditions are better then and then and they'll be kept on.

Across the country, the grants totaled $1 billion; Durbin says applications totaled $8 billion, so a lot of cities were turned down.

Cities receiving grant funds, and the number of officers they will be able to hire:

Alton – 3
East Hazel Crest – 1
Rantoul – 1
Cairo – 1
East St. Louis – 3
Richton Park – 1
Calumet City – 5
Evergreen Park – 3
Riverdale – 2
Carbondale – 3
Granite City – 3
Rockford – 15
Chicago – 50
Markham – 2
Sauk Village – 1
Danville – 3
Matteson – 2
Alorton – 1
Dixmoor – 1
Maywood – 3
Zion – 2

Depending on each city's police hiring and training procedures, many of the officers will be on duty by the end of the year.

(Illinois Radio Network)
08 01 09 by Newsroom
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