LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS to seek available grants

On Saturday, March 21, 2009, Senator Mark Udall announced the availability of three federal grant programs specifically intended for the state and Colorado law enforcement agencies. Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr, Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, Commerce City Chief of Police Philip J. Baca, Golden Police Chief William Kilpatrick, Adams/Broomfield Counties District Attorney Don Quick, and Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey, then highlighted how the grants could be utilized to benefit the communities.

The grants are federal monies from recently passed economic recovery legislation that were dedicated to improve community safety. The first grant is from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to hire additional officers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), provides $1 billion to help police departments across the country through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Recovery Program to meet the law enforcement needs for community policing by hiring and retaining career law enforcement officers.

The second program is the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program that has $2 billion in federal funding for states and local law enforcement agencies nationwide. These funds are for technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, information systems for criminal justice, as well as research and evaluation activities that will improve or enhance law enforcement programs related to criminal justice.

The funding for the grants listed above was dramatically cut over the last several years. The reinstatement of this funding allows law enforcement to reinstate these programs.

Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr intends to use the funding to provide the staffing and resources to ensure our ability to dismantle violent gangs, deal with major drug trafficking operations, and remove violent criminals from our communities.

Adams County District Attorney Don Quick spoke of the potential use of these funds for crime victim compensation, local victim assistance services, and crime prevention programs for youth.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle stated they intend to apply for Byrne/JAG funds to pay the operating costs of our countywide drug task force. In addition, they also intend to ask for COPS funding to hire a new deputy to fill a position as a Crime Prevention Specialist.