Feds award $245,450 grant to Williams Police Department

The Williams Police Department has been awarded nearly $250,000 in federal funds to bolster its community policing and crime prevention efforts.

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services on Wednesday announced more than $243 million in grants were awarded nationwide to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Williams and Crescent City were the only small jurisdictions in California to receive the grants, officials said.

Williams Police Sgt. Ed Anderson said the department was thrilled to get $245,450, which Williams will use to upgrade its law enforcement presence in the schools.

"The grant will fund one officer for three years," Anderson said.

For the 2011 "COPS" hiring program, 2,712 applications were received requesting more than $2 billion and 8,999 positions.

Funding decisions were based on an agency's commitment to community policing, crime rates, changes in law enforcement budgets and other local fiscal data, which includes poverty, unemployment and foreclosure rates in the area, officials said.

"Cities across the country are dealing with numerous challenges and we are pleased to be able to assist their public safety efforts," COPS Director Bernard Melekian said in a statement. "Creating and maintaining jobs is a key part of this program. This funding helps support local departments in their efforts to increase their ranks, enhance their relationship with the community and directly address their public safety concerns."

As a condition of the grant, the department will have to maintain the position a fourth year, officials said.

Anderson said the additional funding allows Williams to continue its efforts to combat drug abuse and gang violence through educational programs such as DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training).

Both programs are built around school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curricula that address substance abuse, delinquency, youth violence and gang membership for children in their informative years, and immediately before the prime ages for introduction into gangs and delinquent behavior.

CONTACT Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com .