SHERIFF TO GET 2 NEW OFFICERS

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department will receive money for two new officers under the COPS Universal program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sheriff John Jordan said he found out about the grant on and expects to hire the officers in early 1996.

The $69,365 grant will pay 75 percent of officers' salaries the first year, 50 percent the second and 25 percent the third. After that, the county will pay all their salaries and expenses.

Jordan said the officers will do a lot of community-oriented policing, especially working with the Triad Council -- composed of the sheriff, the police chiefs in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and the American Association of Retired Persons -- to reduce victimization of the elderly. They also will work a normal patrol.

"These grants are distributed on a need basis, so there were a lot of agencies that didn't get chosen on the first round," Jordan said. "This showed a true need in our area. We're elated that this happened, and we appreciate that the County Commission has shown excellent support of us."