Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
OPA
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888

Attorney General Announces New Funding to Assist Recovery Efforts in New Orleans

Additional Funding Further Demonstrates the Department’s Commitment to Rebuild New Orleans’ Criminal Justice System

WASHINGTON – Together with federal, state and local officials, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today participated in the opening ceremony for the New Orleans Family Justice Center, where he announced more than $21 million in grants to New Orleans and the surrounding area from the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

The New Orleans Family Justice Center is a public-private partnership modeled after the President’s Family Justice Center Initiative, and administered by OVW, where victims of domestic violence find comprehensive services in one central location. The Family Justice Center is the 16th federally-funded Family Justice Center to open nationwide, and the second in Louisiana. 

“The grants I am announcing today show the Department's continued commitment to reducing crime in New Orleans, and rebuilding the communities that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina,” said Attorney General Gonzales. “These funds are specially targeted to law enforcement, local governments and community organizations to help return this great city and the surrounding area to the sense of safety and community it knew before the storm.” Of the funds the Attorney General announced today, more than $2.4 million come from The Office of Violence Against Women, and will be distributed to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, City of West Monroe, Family Counseling Agency, Inc., Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault and YWCA of Northwest Louisiana.

More than $3.8 million from OJP will be distributed to City of New Orleans, New Orleans Police Foundation, New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, Lincoln Parish, St. Charles Parish Sheriff, City of West Monroe, City of Slidell, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office, St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, City of Bossier City, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Department, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, City of Opelousas, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, Rapides Parish Sheriff, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, City of Natchitoches, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Parish Sheriff Department, Parish of Vernon, Ouachita Parish, Lafourche Parish Sheriff, City of Gretna, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department, City of Kenner, City of Denham Springs, City of Bogalusa, City of Thibodaux, City of Tallulah, Louisiana State University; A&M College, City of Baton Rouge; Parish of East Baton Rouge,and Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement.

Today’s announcement also included COPS awards totaling more than $15 million through three different COPS programs; the Secure Our Schools program, the COPS Technology Program, and the COPS Methamphetamine Initiative. Funds will be distributed to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Department, City of New Orleans, City of Shreveport, Louisiana State Police, Ascension Parish, Ouachita Parish, Tangipahoa Parish and Union Parish.

The Department of Justice recognizes the challenges facing the city of New Orleans and the surrounding area, and is committed to working with state and local law enforcement, local officials, community organizations, and others to improve the lives of those living in the area. More information on COPS, OJP, or OVW can be found at http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/, and http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw.

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