SPOKANE – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced three Department of Justice grants awarded in the Eastern District of Washington.
One grant was awarded to Spokane County and allocated $500,000 to improve the criminal justice system, prevent and combat juvenile delinquency, and assist victims of crime. The Spokane Police Department received two grant awards, allocating a total of $1,817,000 to aid in achieving this goal.
These grants were awarded through the Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program. Under this program, $229,551,000 had been allocated nationally as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was passed in 2023.
Plans for this grant funding include:
- Acquiring additional aircraft by the Spokane Regional Air Support Unit (SRASU), which is a regional aviation unit dedicated to assisting and improving public safety.
- Improving technology to augment staff, improve outcomes for crime victims, replace antiquated technologies, and increase officer safety.
- Increasing resources for supporting treatment to address domestic violence effectively.
In announcing these awards, U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “It is critical that we work together – with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our communities safe and strong. The citizens of Spokane County deserve nothing less.” She continued, “These latest grant awards demonstrate the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring the justice system keeps up with technological advances while maintaining the overall goal of decreasing crime and supporting those who fall victim to it. Right here in Eastern Washington, these funds fall in line with my Office’s Safe Home Safe Community Initiative, which focuses on curbing gun violence by removing firearms unlawfully possessed by individuals with a track record of violent crime and domestic violence. These efforts protect victims, law enforcement, and the entire community.”
Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov/.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
