The Sparks Police Department is asking for its share of a $1 billion federal grant that could put up to 20 new entry level officers on the street, possibly by next year.

The new officers could reinvigorate dormant community programs such as DARE or community education, Sparks Police Chief Steve Asher said. But the proposal comes with some risk to the city.

If Sparks gets its desired share of funding, it would be responsible for paying for those officers after four years as well as be responsible for incidental costs. According to staff reports, the city would have to keep those officers on the force after the federal funding runs out following a four-year period.

According to Deputy Police Chief Steve Keefer, the risk would be future funding.

“If an officer retires, we cannot hold that position back and say now we have some extra money,” Keefer told the City Council Monday as the department asked for approval and direction. “Once you commit to this, you have to stick with it.”

If the grant was approved in an amount that could hire 10 new officers, it would cost the city about $1.6 million after four years. If the grant were approved for 15 new officers, the city could pay about $2.5 million after four years. If 20 new officers were approved, the city could pay about $3.3 million after four years.

According to city finance director, Tom Minton, the city could squeeze a budget amount for 10 more officers into its fiscal year 2013-2014 budget. But not much more.

“This is a gamble we owe to our citizens,” Sparks Mayor Geno Marini said.

There are many variables with the grant money, according to Asher.

“Even if we apply for 20 officers, they could tell us that we get eight,” Asher said.

Asher will be submitting the grant on April 24, with the City Council’s direction that he should ask for 20 more officers. The vote to ask for funding for 20 more officers in the grant application was approved at city council by a 4-1 vote, councilman Mike Carrigan saying no.

“I cannot go over the 10 only because of the unknown,” Carrigan said. “But If I am a chicken then I am a chicken with the taxpayers money.”

The grant would be funded through the office of Community Oriented Policing Services under the COPS Hiring Recovery Program.