Federal Grant Will Bring Cops to 5 City Schools

The Bethlehem Police Department will hire five new school resource officers thanks to a $625,000 COPS grant from the federal government, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced on Friday.

One officer each will be stationed at Liberty High School and all four of the Bethlehem Area School District’s middle schools, according to a news release.

Once a regular feature of the city and township police departments, school resource officers disappeared a few years back because of budget constraints in the school district, which had been paying for half of each officer’s salary and benefits.

“We take the safety and security of our children very seriously,” said Bethlehem Police Chief Craig Finerty. “Being awarded this grant will help us improve our commitment to our community by giving us the ability to assign School Resource Officers to our schools.”

Overall the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funded awards to 263 cities and counties, aimed at creating 937 law enforcement positions. More than $125 million will be awarded nationally, including nearly $45 million to fund 356 new school resource officer positions.

“In the wake of past tragedies, it's clear that we need to be willing to take all possible steps to ensure that our kids are safe when they go to school,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

“These critical investments represent the Justice Department's latest effort to strengthen key law enforcement capabilities, and to provide communities with the resources they need to protect our young people. Especially in a time of increased challenges and limited budgets, our top priority must always be the safety and well-being of our children.”