(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray today announced that ten Washington state communities have been selected to receive a total of $2 million in federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to improve student safety.

The COPS grants will allow these communities to hire police officers, known as school resource officers (SROs), who will be permanently assigned to a school or school system.

The community policing officers will perform a variety of functions from teaching crime prevention and substance abuse classes, to mentoring troubled students and building respect and trust between the law enforcement community and students.

"Community policing is a proven way to reduce crime and improve safety for all of our citizens," Sen. Murray said. "These officers will also serve as role models and mentors to our children, helping them learn community responsibility at an early age."

Sen. Murray has worked to provide funding for the COPS program, and was instrumental in restoring the budget cuts proposed by the Bush Administration last year.

In the budget for the coming year, Murray and her Senate colleagues proposed 50 percent more COPS funding than the Administration.

The money will be distributed to the following Police Departments:

Department Full Time Positions Estimated Federal Funds Aberdeen Police Department 1 $125,000 Arlington Police Department 1 $125,000 Clallam County Sheriff's Dept. 1 $125,000 City of Ellensburg 2 $250,000 Lincoln County Sheriff's Dept. 1 $125,000 Lynnwood Police Department 1 $125,000 Othello Police Department 1 $125,000 City of Prosser 1 $125,000 Spokane Police Department 6 $750,000 City of Zillah 1 $125,000