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Detroit Averts Layoff Of Police Officers

DETROIT (WWJ) -  A federal grant will enable the city of Detroit to retain 108 police officers who had been slated to be laid off.

Police Chief Ralph Godbee said in a statement Friday night that the city had received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice through its Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

COPS grants are normally awarded to communities to hire officers, but Godbee says given Detroit's fiscal crisis and a reduction in police personnel "these challenges allowed us to modify the grants for the purpose of retention of the officers slated for lay-off."

Layoff notices began going out one week ago, with an effective furlough date of Feb. 20.

In thanking the Justice Department, Godbee said, "We will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to retain our most valuable assets, our police officers."

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