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Officials said the Copperas Cove Police Department received $748,000 in funding for its mental health response team following the signing of the Department of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024, which was signed into law last year.
Republican Rep. John Carter of Round Rock, whose district includes Copperas Cove, helped secure funding for the police department, according to a news release.
“As a former judge, I have seen firsthand the amount of stress placed on police officers responding to mental health crisis calls,” Carter said in a statement. “Having a team trained to respond to these difficult calls will ensure Copperas Cove residents in crisis get the help they need, allowing officers to focus on keeping our community safe.”
Cove officials said this is the largest grant amount CCPD has ever received and they are happy to accept it.
“The demand for police officers continues to increase along with the need for a broader skill set to meet the expectations of our community,” said Copperas Cove Police Chief Eddie Wilson. “Due to a lack of available mental health resources, police officers have become the primary first responders to mental health crises. While police officers are not licensed clinicians, they are mandated to make mental health-related decisions with minimal training and experience. Most communities, like Copperas Cove, do not have the funding and resources to adequately manage the increasing number of mental health-related requests for service. Similar grant attempts have failed multiple times over the past few years. This grant represents the largest single amount of funding the Copperas Cove Police Department has ever received and would not have been possible without the support of Congressman Carter’s office. On behalf of the Copperas Cove community, I am truly grateful for the support we have received from Congressman Carter and his incredible team. I can assure you that these funds will be well put to good use.”
Cobh Mayor Dan Yancey was also quoted in the announcement.
“On behalf of myself and the Copperas Cove City Council, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this incredible grant opportunity provided by Councilman Carter’s office,” said Yancey. “Yearly municipal budgeting is always challenging as we attempt to balance available financial resources with the growing needs and expectations of our community. The approval and award of this tremendous grant of $748,000 will pave the way for great mental health resources that the City of Copperas Cove and the Copperas Cove Police Department need to better serve those in our community. We are grateful for this allocation and appreciate the opportunity to better serve our citizens. Thank you.”
Carter praised Cobb’s leadership for their work in this effort.
“I commend Chief Wilson and Mayor Yancey for their vision and collaboration, and I believe this responsible use of federal tax dollars will greatly benefit the residents of Copperas Cove,” the Congressman said.
