North Myrtle Beach awarded $750K grant for law enforcement hiring, community policing

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – The city of North Myrtle Beach is among three communities in South Carolina awarded federal grant money for law enforcement hiring and advancing community policing.

The grant funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services COPS Hiring Program, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In total, more than $139 million was awarded to 183 law enforcement agencies across the country. Officials said the funding will allow those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals.

“These grants highlight the Department of Justice’s commitment to law enforcement resources here in South Carolina,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina M. Rhett DeHart. “This Office enjoys strong relationships with our local law enforcement partners, and we support their important work. These funds will mean nearly a dozen additional officers in these communities.”

Only three communities in South Carolina received funding, totaling just over $1.4 million:

• City of North Myrtle Beach - $750,000
• Williamsburg County - $422,804
• Town of Yemassee - $229,782

Officials said of the 183 agencies awarded grants, about half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities, 41 will seek to address high rates of gun violence, 21 will focus on other areas of violence, and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis.

To learn more on the COPS Hiring Program, click here.

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