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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Pete Visclosky today announced that local law enforcement agencies in Lake County will receive federal assistance for overtime, equipment, supplies, and information systems to support their efforts to prevent and control crime.
“With local budgets tight, I am proud to bring resources to bear that will help our law enforcement officers continue to keep our streets safe from crime,” said Visclosky. “Police risk their lives every day to protect our communities and we owe it to them to provide them with the tools they need to safely execute their jobs.”
The disparate jurisdictions consisting of Lake County and the cities of East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, and Merrillville will use a U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program award in the amount of $366,322 to support the needs of the local law enforcement agencies in the areas of overtime, equipment, supplies, and information systems. These funds will assist in the prevention and control of crime, and improve the criminal justice system.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program allows local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice such as law enforcement programs, prosecution and court programs, prevention and education programs, corrections and community corrections programs, drug treatment and enforcement programs, planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs, and crime victim and witness programs.
The East Chicago and Merrillville Police Departments have determined that they will use their funding for overtime. The Hammond Police Department will obtain surveillance cameras and accessories to serve as crime deterrents. The Hobart Police Department will use funds to acquire a myriad of law enforcement tools that are essential to the Department. The Gary Police Department will use the funds to enhance the investigations of both Internal Affairs and the Detective Bureaus by obtaining voice stress analyzer units which the department has used with considerable success in previous years. The Gary Police Department will also acquire four Segways, and four All Terrain Vehicles to be used in search and rescue exercises along the substantial Lake Michigan lakefront as well as hilly forested areas adjoining beaches and lakefront residences. |
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