Massachusetts Coalition of Police Acknowledges MA Cities & Towns That Award ARPA Funding to COVID-19 First Responders
April 19, 2022 | Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Coalition of Police (MassCOP) today publicly acknowledged cities and towns across the Commonwealth that have allocated a portion of their funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support first responders who made significant sacrifices in service to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The American Rescue Plan Act specifically recognized that first responders across all areas of emergency service played a crucial role in keeping communities safe during the historic COVID-19 public health crisis,” said MassCOP President Scott Hovsepian. “Cities and towns in every region of the Commonwealth have done the same and appropriated some of their federal ARPA funding to award premium pay for first responders: firefighters, EMTs, police officers, 911 dispatchers and other emergency personnel. This has not gone unnoticed by the men and women who protect our communities and our citizens each day.”
MassCOP represents more than 5,000 members of law enforcement in 175 communities.
ARPA delivered approximately $3 billion to cities and towns across Massachusetts, with a portion of it authorized for premium pay for first responders. Final appropriation of any funds is at the discretion of municipalities.
Public safety employees put their lives on the line every day. However, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these employees took on additional risks to themselves and their families by continuing to interact with the public while the virus tore through their communities. In fact, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, first responders were found to be twice as likely to contract COVID-19 as other essential workers.
Communities across Massachusetts that – as of April 15 – have either already designated or are close to approving some portion of ARPA funding for first responder premium pay include:
Amherst, Arlington, Ashby, Brewster, Bridgewater, Brockton, Canton, Chicopee, Fall River, Falmouth, Fitchburg, Gardner, Granby, Groton, Hamden, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Mashpee, Methuen, Milford, Millbury, Nantucket, Oxford, Quincy, South Hampton, Springfield, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Sutton, Taunton, Topsfield, Ware, Wayland and Worcester.
“All municipalities that choose to compensate first responders, specifically for the front-line emergency work they performed during the pandemic, are demonstrating their commitment and support for public safety personnel,” said John Nelson, First Vice President of MassCOP. “This first group of cities and towns are leading the way and setting a positive example that our 5,000 members statewide recognize and appreciate.”
Sincerely,
Scott Hovsepian
President
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