Police department wins federal grant to hire a new officer

The City of North Liberty has been awarded a $125,000, three-year Community Oriented Police Support grant, the US Department of Justice announced Monday. The grant, part of the COPS Hiring Program, will support up to 75 percent of a new officer’s salary and benefits for the next three years.
“It’s exciting to be awarded this grant,” said Mayor Gerry Kuhl, “and it represents an exciting opportunity for our city.”
With the grant, the department plans to hire a new officer to work with North Liberty’s local schools, including new Liberty High School, slated to open in 2017.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to further strengthen our department and expand our ability to serve this growing community,” said Police Chief Dianne Venenga. “It’s a vote of confidence to be selected for the highly competitive program.”
The Department of Justice reported that 1,296 agencies across the United States submitted applications and just 215 were awarded grants. North Liberty was one of four Iowa agencies awarded funds.