Justice Department Announces More Than $376 Million In Awards To Promote Public Safety

More than $12 Million Will Support Crime-Fighting Efforts in the Southern District of Florida

MIAMI – The Department of Justice today announced that it has awarded more than $376 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal law enforcement operations and reinforce public safety efforts in jurisdictions across the United States.  More than $12 million will support public safety activities in the Southern District of Florida. The awards were made by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.

“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”

The awards announced today support an array of crime-fighting initiatives, including the quarter-billion dollar Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) Program, which funds public safety efforts in 929 state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Funding also supports sex offender registration and notification, law enforcement-based victim services, the testing of sexual assault kits, and programs designed to address youth with sexual behavioral problems. Other awards will focus on wrongful convictions, intellectual property enforcement, innovative prosecution strategies and the safety and effectiveness of corrections systems.

“Keeping our communities and people safe is a top priority for us,” stated U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida  “The millions of dollars in grant money awarded to our South Florida community and law enforcement partners will help us enhance the quality of life of our local residents, strengthen the integrity of our justice system, provide critical services for crime victims, and take back our neighborhoods from the violent grasp of those who threaten our safety and security.  We are grateful to the Department of Justice for its invaluable financial support of our collective crime-fighting initiatives.”

The following awards were given to police departments and organizations in the Southern District of Florida:

Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here: Public Safety Fact Sheet. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage.

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.