Mission, TX—Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $1,250,000 in federal funds to hire ten police officers for the Mission Police Department. These funds, awarded through the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Hiring Program, will be used to bring in new officers that will better ensure the safety of Mission residents.

“I share our nation’s shock and outrage over the death of George Floyd. However, calls to defund our country’s police are impractical and dangerous. Our families, friends, and neighbors are safe because of our nation’s  law enforcement. Improving our policing system, not defunding or disassembling it, is the best way to prevent further tragedies from happening again,” said Congressman Cuellar. “That’s why I worked hard to help secure funding for the COPS program for our City. This critical investment will extend far beyond the creation of law enforcement jobs.  It will strengthen relationships between  officers and our community, improving public safety and keeping law enforcement officers on the beat.”

“As a senior Appropriator, I will continue to fund programs that create effective and professional federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. I want to thank Mayor Dr. Armando O’Caña, City Manager Randy Perez, City Council, and Police Chief Robert Dominguez  for their dedication to making our city safer. I also want to thank the police men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect us,” Congressman Cuellar added.   

“These federal funds will help enhance public safety by putting more officers on the streets and improving collaboration between our department and the community. This was a highly competitive application process and I thank Congressman Cuellar for supporting the city’s grant application throughout," Mission Police Chief Robert Dominguez said. “This will bolster our ranks and bring much needed resources to our police department."

These ten new officers will expand the Mission Police Department and increase its capacity to safely respond to emergencies. They will provide more boots on the ground and work towards decreasing crime in the area. 

As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Cuellar helped secure $235,000,000 for the COPS Hiring Program in the final spending bill. The COPS Hiring Program works to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by providing direct funding for the hiring of career law enforcement officers. In addition to providing financial support for hiring, the program provides funding to law enforcement to enhance local community policing strategies and tactics. Lastly, the COPS Hiring Program assists law enforcement's ability to maintain sufficient sworn personnel levels to keep communities safe.