AMBRIDGE, March 12 – Center Township and Rochester Borough were awarded $33,000 in combined grant funding to help hire and train new police officers, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today.

Matzie said the funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency – which includes $28,000 to Center Township and $5,000 to Rochester Borough – will help departments ensure that any gaps in staff or training do not compromise public safety.

“The funding is going to give our local departments more resources for officer recruitment and retention,” Matzie said. “More police on the beat means safer streets and communities, keeps individual officers safer and helps ease workload and burnout. It’s a smart investment that also benefits taxpayers.”

The funding is part of a package of grants awarded statewide to support Act 120 mandatory training and recruitment activities for law enforcement officers.

Eligible law enforcement agencies that do not cover the costs of Act 120 training may request up to $7,000 per new officer to support costs associated with the training, or – if they currently hire officers that are already Act 120-trained or the agency already covers training costs – may apply for up to $5,000 per new officer to support stipends, signing bonuses or marketing efforts.