Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, welcomed the award of more than $10,835,136 through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to boost law enforcement in communities throughout Mississippi.

Brookhaven’s Hyde-Smith, as member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked to advance FY2024 COPS funding that supports the grants awards, which will be used to strengthen public safety through technology and training, improve school security, and support the hiring of entry-level law enforcement officers.

“The safety of our communities requires constant vigilance and the ability to adopt new technologies and equipment to protect the public.  These Justice Department COPS grants will help cities, counties, and school districts in our state address some of the law enforcement challenges they face every day,” Hyde-Smith said. “Many of these grant programs are competitive and I commend these Mississippi groups for submitting successful applications.”

 

The approved FY2024 COPS grants for Mississippi are:

2024 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) Awards ($2,549,932)

• Brookhaven School District – $318,750
• Leland School District – $225,000
• Monroe County School District – $324,376
• Neshoba County School District – $308,309
• Nettleton School District – $375,000
• South Pike School District – $498,750
• Tunica County School District – $499,747

 

2024 COPS Office Technology and Equipment Program (TEP) Awards ($6,831,000)

• Clay County – $175,000
• City of Coldwater – $52,000
• George County – $1,100,000
• Itawamba County – $119,000
• Lee County – $205,000
• Mississippi Department of Public Safety – $2,021,000
• Mississippi Department of Public Safety – $1,237,000
• City of Oxford – $200,000
• Pearl River County – $1,141,000
• City of Tupelo – $191,000
• Union County – $390,000

 

2024 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Awards ($846,885)

• Lamar County – $500,000 (4 officers)
• Montgomery County – $96,885 (1 officer)
• Perry County – $250,000 (2 officers)

 

2024 COPS Office Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) Awards

• Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians – $261,836 (Equipment and Training)

 

2024 Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program Awards

• City of Vicksburg – $200,000 (Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Implementation Projects)

 

2024 Community Policing Development (CPD) Program Awards

• Mississippi Department of Public Safety – $145,483 (Microgrants/Open Topic Area)

In July, Hyde-Smith supported committee passage of the FY2025 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill, in which she worked to continue support for law enforcement and public safety in Mississippi.  It is among 11 committee-passed funding bills still awaiting consideration by the full Senate.