Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 26, 2012

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, ISRAEL, BISHOP ANNOUNCE OVER $197,000 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GRANT FOR SUFFOLK COUNTY

Funding Comes From DOJ Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to Help Police Departments Prevent and Fight Crime

Suffolk County Will Use Financial Assistance To Expand And Update Its Drug Control Policy, Fight Gang Violence, and Fund Other Crime Prevention Programs

Schumer, Gillibrand, Israel, Bishop: With This Welcome Support, Suffolk County Can Fight Drug Abuse and Gang Violence on Long Island

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Representatives Steve Israel and Tim Bishop today announced that Suffolk County will receive $197,580 in funds from the Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Association Grant (JAG) program to help fund a variety of countywide programs meant to prevent and reduce crime. Suffolk County will use the money to create programs that will heighten community awareness and aid law enforcement in the deterrence and prevention of criminal activity, especially offenses related to drunk driving or drug use and gang violence. The County will also use the grant money to increase communication with other legal jurisdictions to make regional law enforcement more effective. Schumer, Gillibrand, Israel, Bishop today announced the over $197,000 in federal grant money will be awarded to Suffolk County to continue its worthy efforts.

“The Suffolk County Police Department has been very successful in fighting local drug problems and fighting crime and this funding will only help strengthen those efforts,” Schumer said. “I am pleased that this federal funding will support Suffolk County in its efforts to fight crime, reduce drug abuse and combat gang violence.”

"Long Island families deserve to be safe in their homes and on the streets," Senator Gillibrand said. "As law enforcement agencies across the state are facing budget cuts during these tough economic times, this federal funding helps create and implement innovative ways to fight crime and combat gang violence, keeping our communities safe. This program is a cornerstone in crime-fighting initiatives in our criminal justice system.”

“I’m pleased that Suffolk County received this federal grant for the additional resources it needs to fight crime on Long Island. All levels of government must work together to make sure that the residents of Suffolk County are well protected. By doing that, not only will our families be safe but our local economy will also benefit.”

“I strongly support the Justice Assistance Grant Program, which leverages federal resources for local law enforcement and crime prevention programs,” said Congressman Tim Bishop. “Continued federal funding under the JAG program will help the Suffolk County Police Department keep our community safe.”

“This funding will allow Suffolk County to continue a number of crime fighting programs including gang prevention and education programs, drug treatment and enforcement programs and hate crimes prevention,” County Executive Steve Bellone said. “I want to thank our federal delegation for their help in securing this important grant from the Department of Justice.”

The Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) provides funding for local governments for a range of activities to prevent and control crime in their own area based on local conditions. Funds are used for local initiatives such technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice. Purpose areas include law enforcement programs; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections programs; drug treatment and enforcement programs; planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and crime victim and witness programs.

Suffolk County intends to use the $197,580 Byrne Memorial JAG award to replace its breath analysis equipment, help fund educational programs and community work, expand its deterrence and prevention of the sale and use of drugs in the county, provide counseling services for victims of crime, and improve the flow of inter-jurisdictional information and intelligence exchange to aid in fighting and preventing crime.

The grant money will be administered by the Suffolk County Criminal Justice Coordinating League (CJCC), which is of all departments of county law enforcement, criminal justice, community representatives, and other service provider agencies involved in the delivery of criminal justice services throughout the county. Notable programs proposals include $36,000 for new breath-analysis instruments that will be used to apprehend intoxicated drivers and $41,000 for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Heroin Drug Task Force, which is already responsible for one of the break-ups of a heroin drug ring in United States history. In addition, a further $36,000 will be given to the Sheriff’s Gang Resistance Education And Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.), an officer-instructed class curriculum for county schools.

###

Resource Center