$5 million grant awarded to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to hire more officers

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Department of Justice has awarded the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office a $5 million grant for its hiring program.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Back in July, Sheriff T.K. Waters announced a plan to hire an additional 80 police officers. On Thursday, the department said that the substantial grant will go to funding half of the officer hires without using taxpayer dollars.

In a letter addressed to Sheriff Waters, the U.S. Department of Justice said that the purpose of the grant is to support state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies as they carry out public safety.

Read: New tools, tech and policing zones for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

“The project you will implement with these award funds contributes to the mission of the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Office and the greater goal of reducing crime and building trust between law enforcement and communities served,” the Department of Justice said.

JSO said in a statement that they are grateful to the DOJ for its grant as its increased staffing goals for this year.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.