Multiple Federal Grants Awarded to Central Illinois Communities to Enhance Public Safety

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice has announced Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grants to several agencies and communities in Central Illinois.

The Department awarded a $1,000,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program grant to Marshall, Putnam, and Stark counties to support a multi-county program: Reaching Rural: Rural Roads to Recovery Program. The program is designed to develop a collaborative, research based, and multi-care level community-based program for individuals affected by substance-use disorder. Subrecipients include Maitri Path to Wellness, the Henry and Stark County Health Department, and The Society of Growth Inc.

The Department awarded over $400,000 in Justice Assistance Grants (JAGs) to fund multiple law enforcement agencies in Central Illinois, including $86,228 to the Champaign Police Department, Urbana Police Department, and Champaign County Sheriffs Office; $53,178 to the Vermillion County Sheriff’s Office and Danville Police Department; $58,510 to the Decatur Police Department; $49,719 to the Moline and Rock Island Police Departments; $11,482 to the Pekin Police Department; $33,963 to the Bloomington and Normal Police Departments and McLean County Sheriff’s Office; and $121,391 to the Springfield Police Department and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. The grants will fund a wide variety of projects and initiatives designed to combat violent crime.

“These funds allow area agencies to expand on the excellent services they provide to their communities.” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We commend the U.S. Department of Justice for its continued support of the Central District of Illinois.”

BJA is a leading source of federal funding to state, local and tribal governments, offering the critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement; prosecution; indigent defense; courts; crime prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and enforcement; planning; evaluation; technology improvement; crime victim and witness initiatives; mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams; and implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives including but not limited to mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.