BIDDEFORD — The City of Biddeford received $125,000 through funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program.

Biddeford is one of four Maine municipalities and well as Penobscot County to receive such funding to be used to hire law enforcement officers. In total, Maine received $726,492, according to a statement by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King.

“In Maine and throughout the country, the dedicated men and women of our nation’s law enforcement community put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We welcome this important funding, which will help provide our local law enforcement agencies with the necessary resources and officers to protect families and promote public safety.”

In addition to Biddeford and Penobscot County, the other communities receiving funding included Brunswick, Caribou and Mexico.

The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers, according to the statement. The program provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

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