Keeping peace and order is not an easy task, especially with lingering terror threats and crime incidents. But thanks to stimulus money, police have got a city in Massachusetts covered. The city council of Springfield in Massachusetts has authorized the use of federal stimulus funds to hire additional patrolmen as the city's police department looks to fill approximately 20 vacancies this year, The Republican reports. The stimulus grant covers the one-year cost of hiring the officers, which includes salaries, benefits and equipment. The city is responsible for the future costs of keeping the offices, the report adds. Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno says the city has to add about 20 police officers every years just to keep up with the annual attrition rate of 15 to 17 officers. On a national basis, police and detectives held about 900,000 jobs in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 80% of them are employed by local governments and the rest work for state police agencies.  |