Foxx Helps Add 50 Police Officers

07/28/2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte officials learned today from the United States Department of Justice that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has been awarded about $8.5 million under the federal stimulus bill to hire 50 additional police officers.

On February 3, 2009, Foxx went to Washington, DC to lobby Senator Kay Hagan, Rep. Mel Watt, Rep. Sue Myrick and Rep. Larry Kissell to keep the nearly $1 billion in federal COPS funds as part of the national stimulus bill. Since the announcement of the availability of these federal stimulus dollars, Foxx has advocated for the additional police officers, including subsequent letters and meetings with federal leaders.

"I applaud the work of our federal delegation in advocating for these resources. Given the high demand for police officers nationally, Charlotte is fortunate to have received the 50 new police positions, the maximum any single jurisdiction received," said city councilman and mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx. "Although the grant falls short of the 125 officers Police Chief Rodney Moore needs this year, these hires will help make Charlotte safer for families and area business."

With 50,000 requests nationally for 4,500 federally-supported positions, Foxx made a formal proposal to add new officers in the recent city budget, the only City Council member to do so. Today, Foxx renewed his call for the Charlotte City Council to take prompt action to hire the remaining 75 officers requested by Chief Monroe:

"A safe city is an attractive city for job growth," Foxx said. "We need to take swift action now to meet Chief Monroe's full request, and I urge the Charlotte City Council to act without delay."

Public safey has long been, and continues to be, one of Foxx's priorities in his bid to become mayor. Since he joined city council he has supported the hiring of every police officer requested on his watch. Moving forward he advocates that a strong law enforcement system supports economic development, strengthens neighborhoods and benefits all of Charlotte.

Charlotte native Anthony Foxx has been an at-large member of Charlotte city council since 2005 and currently is running for mayor. He is a graduate of Davidson College, where he served as student body president and was a Root-Tilden-Snow Public Interest Law Scholar at New York University. He and wife Samara have two young children. Visit www.anthonyfoxx.com for more information.