The feds set aside $1 billion for the COPS program, which helps pay salaries of local cops. Missouri got $20 million, and only St. Louis Metro PD got more cash than Kansas City -- about $8.67 million. Independence got enough for three officers -- about $540K. And Sugar Creek will receive money for one officer, about $158K.
This is all according to The AP, so there are still some questions that everybody is trying to sort out. Will KCPD use this strictly for retention or will they be hiring any new officers? And when they say 50 positions -- is that salary for one year, three years, or what? I've got a call out to KCPD. The news just broke, so they're still sorting things out, too.
UPDATED: Christine has the lowdown here ...
A federal grant announced today will save the jobs of 28 police recruits in Kansas City and allow the department to hire up to 22 more officers.
This helps the economy...how?
Posted by: Brad | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 10:54 AM
$158k for one officer in Sugar Creek??????
$167k per officer in KC???????
Man did I choose the wrong profession...
Posted by: Wisdom | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 10:59 AM
You have to take into consideration this did not say how long the $ per officer was for. You also have to take into consideration the vehicles, and other very expensive equipment it takes to put one officer on the street.
Posted by: AJ | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:09 AM
AJ make a good point. And then there are benefits to consider.
Posted by: James Hart | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Considering that the KC city council (except for the mayor) shorted the KCPD budget by $10million this should be a nice injection to help the city council right their wrongs.
On the flip side this pisses me off that there is stimulus money coming out of Washington at all.
And to reiterate what Brad asked "This helps the economy how???"
The Dem/Obama nightmare continues
Posted by: OldScout | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Now, if we actually use the money for something other than chasing dopers, hassling call girls & playing "Roadblocke for Revenue", it might help public safety.
How about as much attention to "Burglary in Progress" as "My Boyfriend Shoved Me."?
Posted by: KC Cicero | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:22 AM
This is so that when all you homeless, unemployed ruffians start raising up and rioting, there'll be more cops to beat you back into submission.
Posted by: Marvin | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Wisdom, the article says the money pays for cops for three years. So divide all those numbers by 3.
Posted by: Street | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 12:01 PM
first time caller, long time listener.
I just want to say, great point 'KC Ciero'.
Posted by: Doug | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Budget cuts had to be made and the cops and fire were not above being cut. Sorry, but it cuts all ways.
Posted by: The Golfer | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 02:08 PM
I really did not think we needed more police. It wont solve any more crimes....and if it did, they would be solving crimes instead of chasing prostitutes.
Posted by: Stifled Freedom | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 03:03 PM
KCPD needs all the stimulus money it can get..those trips for the Chief to attend conferences in Austrailia become quite expensive..
Posted by: kevin | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 03:18 PM
We have a police state already.
Posted by: Stifled Freedom | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 03:19 PM
This is great. Now there is money to fund more DUI checkpoints.
Posted by: FW | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 03:48 PM