NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — On Thursday, US Representative Eric Sorensen presented the Town of Normal with a check to help with public safety.

The $750,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services also known as COPS. It allows the Normal Police Department to hire six new officers.Grant funding allowing Normal PD to hire new officers

The funding was awarded in October with hopes of having a new officer within one year. At that time, the department was fully staffed with almost 90 people.

Mayor Chris Koos said the department was fully staffed at the capacity of the Town’s budget. Police Chief Steve Petrilli said they were in a position needing more officers due to the increase in calls for service and program expansions.

“Instead of doing that through the budget process, we decided to take some steps. And I give a lot of credit to my staff, to go through the grant application process,” he said. “And now we’re here. We’ve got elected officials that are advocating for our department, and ultimately got us six officers who are going to be used to fill needs. These officers were needed for certain programs. And that ranges from public safety to community engagement. And it was a huge success.”

Petrilli said the department is currently on target to have new officers in six months. He added that he hopes to maintain those positions if federal funding is removed.

Another big point of conversation with Sorensen was President Donald Trump’s tariffs. He encourages people to reach out to his office to share their stories. Sorensen said blanket tariffs affect everyone.

“This is an additional tax on the working-class people in this country, and we have to stand up against it, but also we have to communicate where these things are going to hurt so that our neighbors understand what this means,” he said. “Targeted tariffs do work. Ask any economist. They will tell you that targeted tariffs do work. But blanketed tariffs and trade wars do not.”

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