Congressman Rob Menendez Announces Over $6 Million in Federal Funding for Community Policing Initiatives in the Eighth Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Menendez today announced the award of $6.25 million in U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funding for Essex County, North Bergen, Elizabeth, and Newark. The funding secured by Congressman Menendez will be utilized to hire career law enforcement officers to facilitate community policing and crime prevention efforts. 

“The over $6 million in federal funding we secured represents a crucial step in enhancing public safety and strengthening community relations for the cities and towns in our district,” said Congressman Menendez. “These federal dollars will not only make our communities safer but will invest in the important work of strengthening the already robust community-police relationships in Essex County, Elizabeth, North Bergen, and Newark. I look forward to continuing to work with County Executive DiVincenzo, Mayor Sacco, Mayor Bollwage, and Mayor Baraka on these critical efforts.”

“I commend Representative Rob Menendez for his hard work to get the Federal COPS Hiring Program approved and getting almost $1.9 million allocated for Essex County as well as additional grant money for Newark and East Orange,” said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. “We would not be successful in transforming Essex County and keeping our residents safe without providing proper policing and public safety.”

“This generous grant is a significant investment in the safety and well-being of North Bergen, and this support will allow us to greatly expand our law enforcement capabilities by creating a stronger presence on our streets,” said North Bergen Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco. “I want to thank Congressman Robert Menendez and the Department of Justice for their steadfast commitment to crime prevention and ensuring residents feel secure in our community.”

“This grant will empower us to enhance public safety, strengthen our community, and ensure that our police department has the resources they need to continue serving and protecting our citizens,” said Elizabeth Mayor Christian Bollwage. “We are grateful for this support and look forward to making our neighborhoods safer for all.”

“The quality of our law enforcement personnel is just as important to Newark as the quantity – and this award affords us both,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “Our city is creating a police division that serves as an integral component of a community public safety ecosystem and responds to crisis with skill, intelligence and compassion.  I’m grateful to Congressman Menendez, the Department of Justice, and the COPS program for helping us hire, train and retain officers who will reinforce Newark’s achievements in violence prevention and trauma recovery.”

The funds are being awarded through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP). CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. The funds may be utilized for several purposes including building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities, reducing gun violence, combating hate and domestic extremism, and supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis.

Specifically, the allocations secured are:

Essex County – $1,875,000

Newark – $1,875,000

North Bergen - $1,250,000

Elizabeth - $1,250,000