Photo In this March 6, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama greets officers at the Columbus Police Graduation Exercises in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) (AP) The nation's police departments are clamoring for an unprecedented amount of federal aid to forestall big local tax hikes or the possible layoff of nearly 40,000 police officers - enough to staff the entire New York City Police Department. When President Barack Obama signed the huge economic stimulus bill earlier this year, $1 billion was set aside to help local and state police avoid layoffs or keep their police academy classes intact. The response has been staggering: Departments applied for more than $8.3 billion in aid, meaning only a fraction of the demand can actually be met. July will be a nervous month for mayors and police commanders as they... [read full story]
