{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/collins-king-announce-more-than-2000000-for-police-departments-in-maine", "Collins, King Announce More Than $2,000,000 for Police Departments in Maine", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King announced that six Maine police departments have been awarded a total of $2,075,000 through the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs. The various programs overseen by the COPS office support numerous initiatives for local police departments, including improved hiring practices, school violence prevention, community policing development, and mental health wellness for law enforcement officers and their families.\n\n\"Law enforcement officers willingly place themselves in harm's way to protect our communities. It is our responsibility to equip them with the resources they need,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThis important funding will help improve community policing across the State of Maine, enhance school safety, and provide essential mental health support for law enforcement officers.\u201d\n\nThe COPS grant funding awarded to Maine law enforcement agencies falls into four distinct categories:\n\nCOPS Hiring Program (CHP): More than $157 million was awarded to 235 agencies nationwide to hire nearly 1,200 entry-level law enforcement officers, aimed at increasing community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.\n\nIn Maine, the recipients include:\n\nTown of Rangeley: $125,000\n\nRumford Police Department: $250,000\n\nCity of Westbrook: $250,000\n\nSchool Violence Prevention Program (SVPP): Approximately $73 million was awarded to 203 school districts and government entities across the country to enhance security on school grounds, improving safety measures for students and staff.\n\nIn Maine, the recipients include:\n\nLewiston Public Schools: $500,000\n\nMaine School Administrative District 17: $500,000\n\nCommunity Policing Development (CPD): This program provided more than $25.1 million nationwide to support crisis intervention teams, accreditation efforts, and innovative policing strategies, all aimed at improving community relations and law enforcement capabilities.\n\nIn Maine, the recipient of this funding is:\n\nRumford Police Department (supporting law enforcement agencies seeking accreditation in Oxford County): $250,000\n\nLaw Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness (LEMHWA) Program: More than $9 million was awarded nationwide to improve the delivery of mental health and wellness services for law enforcement officers and support staff.\n\nIn Maine, the recipient of this funding is:\n\nMaine Indian Township Tribal Government: $200,000\n\nThese grants are part of a broader national effort by the DOJ\u2019s COPS office to combat opioid and methamphetamine distribution, prepare for active shooter situations, and support technical assistance and hiring programs for law enforcement agencies.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/collins-king-announce-more-than-2000000-for-police-departments-in-maine"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7411479018628597, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}