Brundidge residents could see more police officers on the streets, if the city gets a grant to help pay for more certified police officers.

According to City Manager Brit Thomas, the city is applying for a program called COPS program, which pays for certified police officers for three years, including 100 percent of salary and benefits.

However, the city must pay for the fourth year of the individual as part of the agreement.

Thomas said after talking with Brundidge Police Chief Moses Davenport the two agreed the COPS program would be a good choice for the city.

This program is designed for entry-level police officers and the money will pay for the new police officer to attend the police academy.

Still, Davenport said it was hard to put more people on the street with the current starting salary for entry-level police officers.

“Our hiring funds are not that attractive,” Davenport said. “Maybe we could boost it.”

Mayor Jimmy Ramage echoed Davenport’s statement, “We do OK everywhere else, just not at entry-level.”

The council voted allow Thomas, Davenport and Ramage to make the decision about applying for the money and to look into additional resources for the police department. They also voted to raise the entry-level starting salary from $9 to $11, if they get the monies.

In addition, the council passes a resolution to adopt a new citizen participation plan dealing with CDBG grants. Thomas said a lot of emphasis is put on participation.

Ramage suggested the council hold the CDBG meetings, when needed during the first meeting so residents would remember to come, since they would have recently received their power bills.

“This will put us in compliance,” Thomas said.

In other business, Thomas said the conversion to the new substation has only a little bit left, and the city is expected to convert the vast majority of what is left around the weekend of April 18, since the upcoming weekend is Easter.