mh/copsmore.pr                Contact: David Weaver, 301-217-6530 or
                                 Cpl. George Ludington, 301-217-4090  

COUNTY TO RECEIVE
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR 60
ADDITIONAL OFFICERS; 
LARGEST GRANT IN MARYLAND          For Immediate Release:  September 24, 1996


     Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today hailed the Clinton
administration's announcement that the County will receive $4.5 million in
federal funding to hire 60 new police officers.  With this latest
announcement, Montgomery County will have received federal funding to hire 119
officers under the President's plan to put 100,000 cops on the nation's
streets.
     "President Clinton understands that in order to fight crime, we need
more crimefighers on our streets," Duncan said.  "The President is providing
Chief Mehrling and me with the tools we need to help improve public safety and
we applaud him for it."
     Montgomery County was one of four jurisdictions in the State to receive
funding in today's announcement from the Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services' Universal Hiring Program (COPS UHP).  Anne Arundel County
($900,000), Baltimore City ($2.250 million) and Baltimore County ($1.125
million) also received funding that will eventually add 117 officers
throughout Maryland.
     "Crime and public safety are major concerns of our residents," said
Montgomery County Council President Gail H. Ewing.  "These funds will help get
more officers into the community where our public wants and needs them, and  
                                  -more-

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RECEIVES FUNDING FOR 60 OFFICERS          2-2-2-2   

brings strong support for our officers on the street."
     Under the terms of the grant, federal funding will cover 75 percent of
the costs of hiring new officers, with the County providing the additional 25
percent. 
     "We greatly appreciate the grant and the opportunities it will provide,"
said Montgomery County Police Chief Carol Mehrling.  "It will greatly enhance
our ability to meet the many demands of our Community Policing efforts which
directly benefit our citizens."
     This is the third time in three years that Montgomery County has
received federal funding from the Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services' Universal Hiring Program to hire additional officers.  In May of
this year, the County received $1.7 million to hire 23 additional officers,
and in 1994, $1.9 million was given for 36 police officers,  In 1995, the
department also received $438,000 from the federal government to upgrade the
County's Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS).
     With the new officers, the County's uniform strength will total more
than 1,000 officers.
                                  # # # 

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