Sorensen Announces $750,000 for Normal to Support Local Police and Fight Crime

PEORIA, IL – As we approach the start of National Crime Prevention Month, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is announcing $750,000 for the Town of Normal to hire six law enforcement officers to increase community policing and crime prevention efforts.  

“Our local police departments, especially in our small hometowns, often work under tight budgets with limited resources,” said Sorensen. “And despite these conditions, our brave men and women in law enforcement work around the clock to keep our neighborhoods safe. I am proud to announce this funding for the Normal Police Department, so our local police have the tools they need to fight crime and protect our communities. I will always work to bring tax dollars back home to make sure Central Illinois is safe for our neighbors.”   

“The Normal Police Department is honored to receive this grant. This is a perfect example of the benefits of municipal and federal governments working together,” says Normal Police Chief Steve Petrilli. “The grant will allow us to enhance community policing efforts, emphasizing the importance of building relationships between police officers and the community. We look forward to continuing to work with others to solve problems and improve safety.” 

The $750,000 in funding for the Town of Normal is coming from the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which builds trust between police departments and the communities they serve. These grants allow local police departments to hire community policing professionals, develop and test innovative policing strategies, and train local government leaders to best support their police officers and protect their communities.  

This past May, Sorensen led a group of 24 of his colleagues in calling on Congress to fully fund the COPS program in direct response to roundtable discussions and meetings he has hosted with law enforcement from across Central and Northwestern Illinois.   

Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

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