DeLauro, Murphy Announces More Than $490,000 in Recovery Funds for Crime Prevention in the Greater Waterbury Area

March 6, 2009
Press Release

Contact: Kristen Bossi (Murphy) (202) 225-4476

Adriana Surfas (DeLauro)

(202) 225-3661

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) and Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) announced that the greater Waterbury area will receive more than $490,000 from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for crime prevention.

"In challenging economic times, municipalities are grappling with how to maintain services such as those aimed at preventing and controlling crime, but the funding for Waterbury and Naugatuck in the recovery package will help these towns ensure the safety of their residents and the strength of their law enforcement workforce," said DeLauro.

"Unfortunately, crime normally goes up as the economy weakens, so this funding will help towns fight rising crime and help prevent towns from cutting jobs and services in their police departments," said Murphy.

The Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, administered by Office of Justice Program's Bureau of Justice Assistance, allows states and local governments to support activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.

JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice. Programs that can benefit from this funding include law enforcement, prosecution and court programs, prevention and education, corrections and community corrections programs, drug treatment programs, and planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.

The greater Waterbury area will receive:

· $22,684 for Naugatuck;

· $15,355 for Plymouth;

· $429,942 for Waterbury;

· $24,080 for Watertown.

To receive these funds, towns must inform the Department of Justice of their spending plans for this allocation by May 18.

The state of Connecticut will receive an additional $12.4 million for the JAG Program. Thirty eight percent of this funding will be disbursed for local projects across Connecticut, at the discretion of the state government.

For more information, visit https://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recoveryJAG/recoveryjag.html(link is external).