8 police agencies to get stimulus dollars

The Baltimore Police Department isn’t the only police agency in Maryland that’s getting federal stimulus dollars.

Seven other police departments are getting money from the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program, known as COPS.

Most of the funding for Maryland will go to Baltimore and Prince George’s County. Each will receive more than $10 million to hire 50 officers over a three-year period.

The six other agencies will get a total of about $3 million. They include three on the Eastern Shore: Cambridge, Princess Anne and Salisbury. Laurel will also receive funding, along with Bladensburg and Riverdale in Prince George’s County.

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the COPS grants are going to places with high crime rates and big budgetary problems.