SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Police Department just received a $290,655 grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services U.S. Department of Justice. According to SLPD Chief Ryan Cox the funding will be used to pay an officer for a four-year period. 

“It's to basically rehire or retain a police officer so we don't have to make budget cuts and let an officer go,” Cox said. “There's always a possibility of that. We just don't want it to be a reality. So we, when we look at our funds, it's always good to keep the grants there especially with the possibility that we may have to cut somebody if the city funding dries up at some point.”  

Cox applied for the grant in July and found out a couple days ago that the SLPD was awarded the funding.  

“It's amazing to the fact that we can continue our 24-hour coverage to the city and have less burden on the general fund knowing that we have grant funding that comes in to retain a police officer,” Cox said.  

There are currently six officers employed at SLPD, three of whom are grant funded now, according to Cox.  

COPS gave out $156.6 million dollars in funding to fund police officers across the United States. There are a total of six cities in Washington that received the funding. The City of Auburn received almost $1.6 million. The City of Federal Way received $500,000. The City of Oak Harbor received $625,000. The City of Sedro Woolley received $125,000. SLPD received their grant. The City of Spokane Valley received around $1.2 million.