Edwards announces grants to strengthen law enforcement capabilities in WNC
U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) today announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) awarded five grants to counties in North Carolina’s 11th District to enhance law enforcement capabilities and promote greater trust between police and communities, a critical component to public safety and preventing crime.
The COPS Office awards grants to help advance community policing by facilitating trust between police and local communities with the goal of improving public safety and addressing crime. The projects that the COPS Office support include hiring community policing professionals, advancing innovative policing strategies and providing training and technical support to community members, law enforcement and local government leaders.
The following are the grants awarded to the respective counties in Western North Carolina:
- COPS Technology and Equipment Program (a result of Congressman Edwards’ Community Project Funding appropriations requests during the fiscal year 2024 appropriations cycle)
- $1 million for Transylvania County
- This project would provide mobile and handheld unit radio replacements and radio frequency tower equipment to support public safety in Transylvania County, which includes the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office. This project will address existing challenges with equipment that has been leaving officers without communications in certain areas. This endangers officers, local citizens and tourists who visit the community every year.
- $963,000 for Madison County
- This project would fund the replacement of end-of-life communications equipment in Madison County’s network of emergency dispatch infrastructure in order to allow for seamless interoperability between the Madison County Sheriff's Department, other emergency response departments in the area, and state and federal partners as necessary. This upgrade will eliminate existing no-service areas that place county first responders at risk.
- $1 million for Transylvania County
- Community Policing Development (CPD) program
- City of Brevard: $131,524 for “Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies Seeking Accreditation”
- Buncombe County: $400,000 for “Promoting Access to Crisis Teams”
- COPS Hiring Program (CHP)
- Waynesville: $250,000 for hiring two police officers to increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts
Edwards said, “Collaboration between our local law enforcement officers and community members is critical to addressing crime and improving the safety of WNC citizens. I am glad to see the COPS Office invest not only in the funding requests for community projects that I made but in additional projects to support the men and women in blue serving our mountains.”