LaredoBuzz.Com

The recent award, or rather, lack of awarding to the COPS Hiring Recovery Program for the City of Laredo, hit like a punch in the stomach, instead of the bolster to City coffers for police staffing that it had been anticipated it would be.

 “This is so ridiculous, I can’t even begin to think how the strategy for funding was awarded,” said City of Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas.  “In fact, it is clear that no strategy was used if the nation’s most important inland port received zero dollars to protect the citizens of the most prominent city on the U.S. / Mexico border,” he continued disgustedly.

 City leaders are frustrated and are left scratching their heads, trying to understand how their neighbor to the north, San Antonio, received the bulk of the funding dollars, at $10.3 million – even more than Dallas ($8.8 million) and Houston, Austin and Corpus Christi, which did not receive any COPS funding, as well.

 Meanwhile, all major border cities were left out of the community oriented policing program award.  Some small border cities of less than 150,000 residents received funding, including the El Paso Independent School District.  Webb County did receive $167,000 for one officer under this grant.

 “This is not the end of this,” said Salinas.  “We will continue to work with Congressman Cuellar, other federal leaders and other Texas mayors including Mayor Bill White of Houston, Mayor Richard Cortez of McAllen and other border mayors to help get money for our program.  We were able to make a case for Cuatro Vientos; we will do the same for the COPS program for the Laredo Police Department, because public safety is our most important priority!” he concluded.