Tribes Reap $246M in Grants to Boost Public Safety

Grimy Times has learned that the federal government is funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to Native American communities in an effort to boost public safety.

United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. joined the government today in announcing more than $113 million in grant awards to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

The federal government is doling out the funds through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant programs. Of the $113 million, just over $53 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, more than $35 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $24.7 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa will receive $373,511 in funding for public safety and community policing efforts, according to Deegan, who noted that the grants are another step towards making communities safer for all.

Nationwide, grants were awarded to 133 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation. The awards cover nine purpose areas, including public safety and community policing, justice systems planning, and services for victims of crime.

“With these awards, we are doubling the amount of grant funding devoted to public safety programs and serving victims of crime in Native American communities,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “There is an unacceptable level of violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This increase in resources, together with our aggressive investigation and prosecution of crimes, shows how seriously Attorney General Sessions and the entire Justice Department take these issues. We are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety.”

The grants are part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

A listing of today’s announced CTAS awards is available at: www.justice.gov/tribal/page/file/1095161/download.

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