TEMPLE, TX — The City of Temple is receiving a $375,000 grant for the police department's Community Oriented Policing Services Unit (COPS).
Their COPS program has held events like Coffee with a Cop, Burgers with the Badge and National Night Out. The programs allow police officers and community members to come together in a more casual way to just talk.
The goal is to keep communication open between officers and the community so they can communicate effectively in times of crisis.
"They have connections already and relations established that can really help the investigation process," Temple PD Interim Public Relations Manager, Cody Weems said.
Community outreach and relationships are a priority for the Temple Police Department.
"The most important thing that we do is making sure residents feel safe making sure they feel comfortable," Weems said. "Making sure they have that bond between themselves and the Temple police department."
Along with helping the programs, the grant will be able to add 3 more officers to the COPS unit bringing the total to 11.
