U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, recently announced funding awards for Kansas.

Tonganoxie police was awarded $115,870, while Leavenworth police will receive $125,000.

Other Kansas deparments receiving grants were Lenexa police, $125,000; Ottawa police, $125,000; Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, $105,631; and City of Valley Center, $95,011.

“In the wake of past tragedies, it’s clear that we need to be willing to take all possible steps to ensure that our kids are safe when they go to school,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “These critical investments represent the Justice Department’s latest effort to strengthen key law enforcement capabilities, and to provide communities with the resources they need to protect our young people. Especially in a time of increased challenges and limited budgets, our top priority must always be the safety and well-being of our children.”

Overall the COPS Office funded awards to 263 cities and counties, aimed at creating 937 law enforcement positions. More than $125 million will be awarded nationally, including nearly $45 million to fund 356 new school resource officer positions.

The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides the salary and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.

Grantees for the 2013 hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and their community policing plans. There was an additional focus this year on agencies requesting assistance in developing school safety programs that would include the hiring of a school resource officer. School resource officer positions funded by the COPS Office are sworn law enforcement officials who work within a school district or facility, interacting directly with the school administrators and students.