COPS Program

A plan advancing in Congress could help Michigan police departments replace many of the 1,900 law enforcement officers they've lost since 2002. The House approved the Community Oriented Policing Services legislation yesterday. It now goes to the Senate. The bill authorizes spending $1.8 billion a year over the next five years for the COPS program, paying to hire and retain about 50,000 officers nationwide. Democrat Congressman Gary Peters of Oakland County says Michigan can expect enough money to hire about 1,450 officers.