Department Of Justice Awards $3 Million To Support Tribal Justice And Safety In The Northern District Of California

SAN FRANCISCO – The Department of Justice awarded grants totaling over $3 million to Native American tribes in the Northern District of California, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag. The list of this year’s grantees within the Northern District of California includes the Hoopa Valley Tribe ($1,379,961), the Yurok Tribe ($924,999), the Round Valley Indian Tribes ($300,000), the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians ($300,000), and the Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria ($299,966).

The awards were made through the Department's Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a single application for tribal-specific grant programs. The Department of Justice developed CTAS through its Office of Community Oriented Policing, Office of Justice Programs and Office on Violence against Women, and administered the first round of consolidated grants in September 2010. Over the past four years, it has awarded 989 grants totaling more than $437 million. Information about the consolidated solicitation is available at www.justice.gov/tribal/. A fact sheet on CTAS is available at www.justice.gov/tribal/ctas2013/ctas-factsheet.pdf. CTAS grants enhance law enforcement practices and sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts in various purpose areas including public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; violence against women; juvenile justice; and tribal youth programs.

"These grants are crucial to establishing programs to ensure safe and secure native communities in the Northern District of California,” said United States Attorney Melinda Haag. She continued: “The grants announced today will enhance law enforcement practices, sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts, improve public safety, augment community policing, emphasize efforts to combat violence against women, assist tribes with justice system planning, and provide alcohol and substance abuse programs.”

The awards in the Northern District of California were made as follows:

Hoopa Valley Tribe

• Justice Systems, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BJA) $501,437
• Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) $878,524
• Hoopa Valley Tribe Total $1,379,961

Yurok Tribe

• Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) $299,999
• Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning (BJA) $75,000
• Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) $550,000
• Yurok Tribe Total $924,999

Round Valley Indian Tribes

• Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) $300,000

Hopland Band of Pomo Indians

• Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) $300,000

Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria

• Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) $299,966

Thirty U.S. Attorneys from districts that include Indian country or one or more federally recognized tribes including, U.S. Attorney Haag, serve on the Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS). The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian country issues, both criminal and civil, and is responsible for making policy recommendations to the Attorney General regarding public safety and legal issues.

Next month, the Justice Department will hold its annual consultation on violence against native women on Oct. 31st, 2013, in Bismarck, N.D. In addition, an Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety and Wellness Session will be held in Bismarck on Oct. 29-30, 2013. It will include an important listening session with tribal leaders to obtain their views on the Department grants, as well as valuable training and technical assistance.

Today's announcement is part of the Justice Department's ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities. A complete list of the 2013 awards is available at http://www.justice.gov/tribal/docs/ctas-award-list-2013.pdf