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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Pat Harkins |
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Erie eligible for federal stimulus dollars
HARRISBURG, March 10 – State Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie, said $323,600 in federal funding is available to the police departments in the city of Erie to help pay for a wide range of department expenses.
Harkins said the funding comes from the federal stimulus package authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and is being made available through the Byrnes/Justice Assistance Grant Program. The stimulus package includes almost $2 billion in critical resources for state and local law enforcement and other criminal justice activities through the Recovery JAG program.
Harkins said many eligible municipalities have not applied for grants, and, in many cases, those municipalities don’t even know the JAG program is available. In order to receive the federal stimulus funding allocated to the program, municipalities must apply for it, he said.
"Erie, like many areas of the state, has been hit hard by the economic recession and is struggling to fund local law enforcement programs and services," Harkins said. "This funding will equip police officers with the tools they need to keep our streets safe while sustaining current jobs and allowing for additional hiring where needed."
Harkins said the JAG program does not require a local match and can be used for law enforcement, prosecution and court expenses, crime prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment, technology improvement, and crime victim and witness programs.
Applications are due by May 18. More information on the grants is available online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recoveryJAG/recoveryjag.html.