Lewiston High School on East Avenue. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal file

LEWISTON — The city will receive a $500,000 federal grant to bolster school safety and make other improvements to public safety, it was announced Wednesday.

Lewiston is one of a half-dozen cities and towns to receive some of the $1.8 million grant which was announced by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Lewiston.

“Maine’s police officers play a critical role in keeping our communities safe,” Golden said. “They should get every resource they need to do that job effectively, and today’s awards will make a meaningful difference for departments across the state. I’ll continue pounding the drum for programs like the COPS Office that deliver these kinds of results.”

In Lewiston, the $500,000 will be issued through the COPS Office School Violence Protection Program. The funding can be used by local districts on a variety of school safety measures, including specialized training for students and staff, deterrence measures such as locks and lighting, and coordination with law enforcement.

Lewiston School Superintendent Jake Langlais could not be reached for comment on how the grant money will be used.

Maine School Administrative District 17 based in Paris was awarded the same amount through the same program.

In other areas, the town of Rangeley will receive $125,000 to hire an additional officer and Rumford will receive $250,000 to hire two more cops.

Rumford will receive an additional $250,000 to seek accreditation for its Police Department.