Burns: Forest Hills, Central Cambria school districts to benefit from $100,000 in ‘Safe Schools’ Police/Resource Officer grants

EBENSBURG, Nov. 17 – The state Department of Education has notified state Rep. Frank Burns, D- Cambria, that $100,000 in grants for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers will assist the Forest Hills and Central Cambria school districts.

Burns said $60,000 is being awarded to the Adams Township Police Department, on behalf of the Forest Hills School District, while $40,000 is headed to the Central Cambria School District. Burns said the official notifications are expected to be sent today.

“These state grants will help make schools safer, while providing a cost savings to local taxpayers,” Burns said. “I thank the Department of Education for these awards, and congratulate the recipients.”

The money is coming from the Safe Schools School Police/Resource Officer Grant program. Applicants are eligible for a maximum individual grant of $60,000 for a School Resource Officer and $40,000 for a School Police Officer and the maximum amount per individual targeted grant is $20,000.

Local police agencies and municipalities can apply and receive a grant but they must have prior consent of the governing board of the school to place school resource officers on the school’s premises.