The Roanoke Rapids Police Department will get one new officer through a $119,925 grant which requires no matching funds from the city, police Chief Jeff Hinton told council tonight.

The grant is administered through the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Hiring Recovery Program and funds the officer for three years, with a requirement the officer be kept on at the city’s expense for a year after, Hinton told The Spin following the meeting.

Hinton also told The Spin the officer would be a regular patrolman on the force. Council unanimously approved the grant and the accompanying budget amendment. Hinton said the department applied for the grant about four months ago.

The city has three vacant officer positions so one of them will be funded through the grant.