EAST PALO ALTO: $1 million for EPA police

Federal money will pay officers' salaries, make up for Measure I defeat

by Elizabeth Darling

East Palo Alto got the news Thursday that its Police Department will receive a $1 million federal grant to pay for most of the salaries of 14 police officers. The U.S. Department of Justice community policing grant is a significant boost to the city, which was reeling from the July 22 defeat of Measure I, a tax measure to support city police.

"It's another saving grace," said East Palo Alto City Council member Sharifa Wilson.

East Palo Alto Mayor R.B. Jones heard the news from a Department of Justice official at about 10 a.m. Thursday.

"I have a concern about the safety of the community," he said. "It's going to mean we're going to keep up the aggressive zero tolerance to crime. We need to be about cleaning up this community. Code enforcement is just as important as murder."

The grant, he said, "means that we'll be in control of this community."

Jones and other East Palo Alto officials were expected to make the official announcement at 9 a.m. today.

Measure I received 59 percent of the vote but needed 67 percent to pass. The ballot measure would have provided $889,000 a year through a $150-per-year parcel tax on homeowners.

The defeat would have meant the city would have to cut its police department from 41 officers to 27 officers.

The measure had strong community support, including school district officials. Opponents favored going back to having policing done by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department.

The day after the election, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), began helping East Palo Alto apply for the federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant.

The COPS program has awarded grants of more than $73 million to 189 police departments in 48 states, as well as American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. The grant is enough to pay 75 percent of the salaries and benefits of each officer for three years, up to a maximum of $75,000 per officer. The rest is to be paid by local jurisdictions.

Back up to the Table of Contents Page