SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $180K IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE ROCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT
Rochester Police Will Use Department Of Justice Funds To Support Counseling Services Program That Helps Crime Victims At The Scene
U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced today that the City of Rochester has been awarded $180,154 in federal U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funding. The funds were awarded through the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which provides funding to states and local governments to support a range of crime prevention activities based on state and local needs. The Rochester Police Department will use these funds to support the salaries of officers who work within in its crime victims program. This program provides counseling and other support services to victims at crime scenes. Additionally, the Monroe County Probation Department will use a portion of the funds to cover salary expenses for Operation Night Watch, a joint program that pairs probation officers and police officers for evening check-ins with probationers.
“When it comes to protecting the residents of Rochester and Monroe County, we must be smart and prepared,” said Senator Schumer. “This crucial federal Byrne grant investment in our officers will help ensure that we have the personnel we need to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe and properly support victims of crime. I’m proud to stand with these brave men and women, and I’m committed to delivering the resources they need to protect our community and support crime victims.”
“With this investment through the Department of Justice, the Rochester Police Department will be able to continue providing counseling services through its crime victims program,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Protecting our families and communities is a top priority, and these funds help support our police officers who keep the streets and neighborhoods of Rochester safe and secure. I will continue to push for funding to help get our police officers the resources needed to carry out their critical work effectively.”
“The Rochester Police Department and Monroe County Probation Department have benefited from the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant for many years,” said Police Grant Specialist Deborah Selke. “The Rochester Police Department uses its funds from the grant to support salaries in our crime victims program. The positions supported both provide program supervision as well as counseling and support services to crime victims at the crime scene. Monroe County Probation uses the funds it receives from the JAG grant to fund a portion of the salaries of probation officers in Operation Night Watch. This program pairs probation officers and police officers who go out in the evening to visit probationers at their homes to make sure they are keeping their curfew.”
The Byrne JAG program provides funding to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system that include: law enforcement programs; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections and community corrections programs; drug treatment programs; and planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and crime victim witness programs.
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