Seattle – More than a dozen law enforcement agencies in western Washington received U.S. DOJ Byrne grant funding to support local needs ranging from body-worn camera programs, to specialized equipment needs, to community outreach programs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The grants have been awarded over the last few weeks in advance of the new fiscal year.
“The largest amount of Byrne Grant funding, some $2 million, goes to the King County Sheriff’s Office to pay for implementation of body-worn cameras and for hiring mental health professionals as part of the King County Crisis Intervention team,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “But even the smaller grants can make a big difference in jurisdictions where leaders have identified specific needs in their communities.”
The City of Seattle was awarded $918, 880 as the fiscal agent for a dozen neighboring jurisdictions. Some of the grant funding includes: $38,323 for fireworks emphasis patrols in Auburn; $10,861 for de-escalation tools in Des Moines; $11,310 for less lethal equipment in Shoreline; and $369,623 to help fund anti-crime coordinators in Seattle. The coordinators will work with populations that have special needs such as the elderly, immigrant, or disabled members of our community.
These are the other Byrne grant recipients and the grant purpose:
Bremerton – $17,240 – Crime prevention activities and initiatives
Port Angeles/Clallam County – $13,720 – Body worn camera program
Marysville – $13,541 – fingerprinting equipment, street cameras, language programs
Puyallup – $13,396 – automated fingerprint equipment
Longview – $11,852 – School resource officer
Lynnwood – $11,780 – firearms and accessories for officers
Everett – $39,544 – polygraph and police pursuit equipment
Kitsap County – $45,613 – purchase of police training simulator
Lakewood – $45,051 – video monitoring equipment and crime analysis software
Bellingham/Whatcom County – $47,374 – equipment for the Civil Disturbance Unit and citizen engagement software. Whatcom Co. – officer safety equipment.
Clark County – $140,576 – to strengthen community policing and enhance public protection
Tacoma/Pierce County – $358,803 – Tacoma: youth crime reduction programs. Pierce County: sex offender records management and notification.
The Byrne Grants are named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988. Officer Byrne was just 22 years old.