The City of Gaffney has been awarded $238,734 in an economic stimulus grant to put two additional cops on the road for the next four years.

City Administrator James Taylor said the money would cover the salary and benefits for the two officers for three years while the grant requires the city to cover the costs for a fourth year.

City council voted to accept the grant at its meeting Monday.

Police Chief Rick Turner couldn't be reached for immediate comment about the grant, but he previously indicated his desire to add a "power shift" to the force — extra officers that would work flexible shifts to supplement a regular shift of officers when needed the most. Taylor said that's how the two new officers funded by the economic stimulus funding would operate, in addition to handling traffic enforcement.

The grant funding doesn't cover equipment or vehicles. But Taylor said the city already is in the process of obtaining new police cars and that some of the older vehicles would be available to the new officers if the city forges ahead.

Taylor said the city had made several applications for economic stimulus funds and that the COPS grant for the two officers was the largest received so far.

Other grant applications seek equipment for the city fire department and money for public works projects.