Delaware is getting a boost from the Department of Justice with 1.6 million dollars in funding for county and city law enforcement and public safety operations. The grants from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistant Grant (JAG) Program announced Thursday will support a range of program areas including crime prevention, prosecutions, corrections, and drug treatment.
County Executive Paul Clark says the additional funding will also create new public safety jobs, and support existing forces with more training and equipment.
Highlights from the announcement of JAG federal grant award for Delaware public safety initiatives.
Highlights from the announcement of JAG federal grant award for Delaware public safety initiatives.
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“It’s grants like this coming into New Castle County that helps us make it work. We’ve actually been able to increase public safety in a time where other departments around the country are laying people off," said Clark. "We hope to have more police on the street in the next year than we’ve ever had in New Castle County, more 911 call takers and more paramedics – the whole public safety family.”
The Delaware Criminal Justice Council is getting more than two-thirds of the funds, slightly less that $1.1 million, which will be used to combat violence and shootings in high-crime areas, and for upgrades to the criminal justice system overall.
Wilmington, which was recently ranked the nation’s most dangerous city by Parenting Magazine, will receive nearly a quarter million dollars to support law enforcement activities. About 230 thousand dollars is going to New Castle County.
"That money is not out there for most counties, cities and states. We were asked to do things on a much leaner budget. So this is a huge benefit. We’re able to hire people. We’re able to do training and allowed to do targeted overtime in crime-ridden areas. So, it’s huge," said New Castle County Public Safety Director Scott McLaren.
The City of Newark, the Town of Middletown and the Delaware State Police also received portions of the grant money.