$4.7M Federal Grant Will Help Hire More Police Officers In Oranges, NJ

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ —Essex County’s police presence will get a beefing up thanks to a $4.7 million federal Community Oriented Police (COPS) grant that will help to fund the hiring of 32 new officers, officials say.

The Essex County Sheriff’s Office, Orange and East Orange Police Departments will each benefit from the multi-million grant:

• The Essex County Sheriff's Office was awarded $1.87 million for 15 officers
• East Orange was awarded $1.37 million for 11 officers
• Orange was awarded $1.4 million for six police officers

The announcement of the grant award was made by U. S. Senators Robert Menendez, Cory Booker and U.S. Representative Donald Payne Jr. in a public ceremony at Veterans Courthouse on Oct 5.

"It's more than just about having more officers, but having them in the same community every day, patrolling the streets, getting to know the residents and business owners," Menendez said. "When we deepen positive relationships through community policing principles, built on trust and mutual respect, our communities are better served and better protected."

Sheriff Armando Fontoura said the funding will have a tremendous positive impact for all Essex County residents.

“The announcement of today’s COPS grant is a most welcome development for the people of Essex County, especially in these most challenging times,” Fontoura noted. “It will bolster our department’s ability to prevent crime through community policing programs and allow us to continue the protection of our youngsters as they travel to and from school via safe corridors.”

According to a news release from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, East Orange officials said the grant money has previously been used to fund police officers in the city’s schools, otherwise known as “school resource officers.”

Photo: Essex County Sheriff’s Office