The Tampa Bay area grants total about $861,065 and are part of more than $376 million the Justice Department is awarding to communities across the U.S.

TAMPA – The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday (Dec. 4) announced that it has awarded several hundreds of thousands of dollars in public safety grants to Tampa Bay area governments and agencies.

The money – about $861,065 – is part of more than $376 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal law enforcement operations and reinforce public safety efforts in jurisdictions across the U.S. Of that, a total of about $14,444,949 will support public safety activities in the Middle District of Florida. The awards were made by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.

“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”

The awards support an array of crime-fighting initiatives, including the quarter-billion dollar Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants Program, which funds public safety efforts in 929 state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Funding also supports sex offender registration and notification, law enforcement-based victim services, the testing of sexual assault kits, and programs designed to address youth with sexual behavioral problems. Other awards focus on wrongful convictions, intellectual property enforcement, innovative prosecution strategies and the safety and effectiveness of corrections systems.

“We are confident that our public safety and community partners will utilize these additional resources in the most effective manner possible,” said Maria Chapa Lopez, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida.  “Coupled with various lessons learned, innovative ideas, and a commitment to reduce crime at every turn, we intend to make our communities safer places to live, work and play.”

These awards were made to organizations in the Tampa Bay Area:

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program (Local)

• city of Bradenton ($23,080)
• city of Lakeland ($24,979)
• city of Largo ($28,032)
• city of Pinellas Park ($16,997)
• city of Plant City ($13,103)
• city of Tampa ($143,984)
• Hernando County ($32,239)
• Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners ($144,104)
• Manatee County ($108,907)
• Pasco County ($100,324)
• Pinellas County ($185,816)

In addition, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office will receive about $39,500 in funding under the SMART Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program.

Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For information about OJP awards, go to the OJP Awards Data webpage.

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Information about OJP and its components can be found at ojp.gov.