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Press Release

Department Of Justice Awards Over $12 Million To Florida Law Enforcement Agencies

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces today that the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has awarded a total of $12,351,298 to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This amount includes $1 million previously announced by Attorney General Loretta Lynch on June 21, 2016, in response to the shootings at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. These funds will be used to reimburse state and local governments, and law enforcement agencies, for personnel and overtime costs related to the shootings.

“In the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub tragedy, over 1,500 law enforcement officers worked tirelessly around the clock for weeks, and many are continuing to do so. Our Office owes a great debt to the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the other state and local law enforcement agencies that did much of this important work,” said U.S. Attorney Bentley. “It is appropriate that these funds will be used to offset some of the extraordinary costs incurred by our state and local law enforcement partners.”

The remaining $11,351,298 is the FY 2016 formula JAG grant awarded to the State of Florida. The goal of Florida's JAG program is to enable local governments and state criminal justice agencies to receive the assistance needed to help fund and improve their own programs in an effort to improve law enforcement and criminal justice within their respective communities and jurisdictions. FDLE will use administrative funds for personnel services, including salaries and benefits, travel expenses, supplies, consultants and contracts, equipment, other costs, and indirect costs necessary to administer JAG funds.

Additionally, BJA will award a total $589,686 to both Orange County ($405,024) and the City of Orlando ($184,662) through the JAG program. Orange County will utilize this award to support a variety of law enforcement related initiatives that will enhance essential county services. The City of Orlando will use its funds to purchase new portable radios for the Orlando Police Department's communications system.

The JAG program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The program provides states and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas, including law enforcement; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and crime victim and witness initiatives; and planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.

Information about the Office of Justice Programs can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Updated July 19, 2016

Topic
Grants