President Joe Biden will announce today a $10 billion commitment to police departments and public safety across the United States, ABC News reported. The money comes from the American Rescue Plan.
Biden is set to meet with police chiefs and mayors at the White House today and underline investments in his remarks from the Rose Garden later.
Senior administration officials said that state and local governments have already committed at least $6.5 billion to various different forms of public safety, Community Violence Intervention, to prevent police officers and vital services from being laid off or closed down.
The Covid relief law included a huge $350 billion for state and local governments to reduce violence. Officials say Biden will call on communities to use this money now because we are approaching summer, and the priority is using the funds for public safety and violence prevention.
Ahead of today’s meeting, the White House has highlighted how cities are using the ARP funds to boost budgets of the police and protect local communities.
Included in this is Houston, which has a $52 million plan that puts $32 million of it towards domestic violence response, victim service efforts, and mental health. There is also $11 million in police overtime, $3 million toward a new community violence intervention and prevention program, and $1 million for a gun-buyback initiative.
In Kansas City, Missouri, the city was able to hire up to 150 police officers and increase pay for officers and civilian staff using ARP funds.
Detroit started using the funds in July and continued to expand initiatives for public safety. Money has been used to enhance police patrols, expand community outreach gun violence prevention programs and also expand mental health responses.
Cities like Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Tulsa, Oklahoma have invested funds in cars and new police equipment.
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