Grant will help pay for city police

BRADENTON - The city's Police Department will stay at 122 officers, public information officer Tim McCann said in a press release Tuesday, thanks to a federal grant.

The Florida Attorney General's Office said Bradenton is one of dozens of local governments statewide to receive funds from the COPS Hiring Recovery Program to help hire or retain law enforcement officers. The city expects about $1,14 million later this year.

That will pay for six sworn officers for three years. Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said the grant will let the department fill five openings later this year.

"With the budget and the economy the way it is we didn't know if we could keep everybody," he said. "We can now maintain 122 officers for three years."

Statewide, nearly $88 million was distributed to 66 law enforcement agencies. The money will hire or retain more than 400 sworn police officers across the state, the release said.

"As mayor and police commissioner, I couldn't be more pleased with the grant award," Mayor Wayne Poston said. "In these troubled economic times, this gives us some relief in keeping police officers on the streets and helps keep our citizens safe."