Federal program will let Iowa City, Johnson County hire more officers

IOWA CITY – Federal funding will help the Iowa City Police Department and Johnson County Sheriff's Office hire more officers, and the new hires must be recent military veterans.

Iowa City will get $250,000 and Johnson County $125,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the White House announced Monday.

That money will go toward the hiring of two police officers for Iowa City and one sheriff's deputy for Johnson County.

All new law enforcement positions funded in the COPS Hiring Program must be filled by recent military veterans who have served at least 180 days since September 11, 2001, according to a White House news release.

The program is awarding $111 million to fund about 800 positions in 220 cities and counties nationwide.

The program provides the salary and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years, the release said. Grantees were selected based on financial needs, local crime rates and a pledge to hire military veterans, according to the release.