(Stuart, Iowa) – Officials with the The Stuart Police Department, today (Tuesday) said on social media, that the department was awarded a $125,000 COPS Grant . The grant will help to help fund the hiring of a fifth full-time police officer.

At their meeting Monday night, officials say the Stuart City Council voted to accept the grant, showing a strong commitment to providing quality law enforcement services to the growing community.

The new officer position will be used to help cover extra shifts currently being filled as overtime by existing officers. The addition not only strengthens the department, officials say, but also helps reduce overtime hours, allowing our team to better balance workload while maintaining strong coverage and response times.