July 15, 2009
93 state, county and local agencies will receive 123 awards
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the state has awarded more than $41 million to 93 different state, county and local agencies to help local communities bolster law enforcement activities and create or retain jobs. The funding is made possible by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act).
"This funding will ensure that law enforcement leaders across Michigan have the tools they need to help keep their communities safe," Granholm said. "Thanks to the Recovery Act, local communities will be able to retain officers, upgrade technology, target gang, drug and other criminal activity and more."
Byrne JAG program funds can be used to support all aspects of the criminal justice system, including multi-jurisdictional task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.
The competitive grant administered by the state's Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) in the Department of Community Health targeted key areas, including:
- community policing and community prosecution;
- local correctional resources;
- multijurisdictional task forces;
- problem solving courts, including mental health and drug courts;
- prescription drug abuse awareness;
- technology enhancement projects.
The ODCP received 136 applications, requesting nearly $97 million in funding. Following a detailed review process, 123 applications were selected to receive full or partial funding. The state and local entities receiving funding will have until September 30, 2012, to spend their awards.
Included in the awards was funding to hire additional evidence technicians to help reduce backlogs at the state's crime labs, support for the state's mental health and drug treatment courts, and funding to support 23 multi-jurisdictional task forces targeting drug trafficking and related criminal activities.
To date, more than $67 million has been made available to Michigan law enforcement through the Byrne JAG program in the Recovery Act. $25.8 million was allocated directly to local communities in March. Communities receiving direct grants were required to submit applications and spending plans directly to the federal Department of Justice (DOJ).
Additional competitive grants, administered by the DOJ, have yet to be announced.
The complete listing of grant awards is available on the Michigan Recovery Act website at www.michigan.gov/recovery.
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