Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Close to $300,000 worth of combined federal funds are on their way to Western New York for the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The funds will go towards public safety and crime prevention measures for both cities.
The grants are provided through the U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The City of Buffalo will receive $269,861, and the City of Niagara Falls was awarded $36,827.
“These awards provide valuable resources to help expand and enhance local programs and initiatives that keep people and neighborhoods safe,” said Congressman Brian Higgins in a statement.
“Keeping our community safe remains one of my top priorities, and the JAG program is one of the most useful tools the Buffalo Police Department has to fight and prevent crime and implement other necessary criminal justice reform and additional policing support," added Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown in his own statement. "I thank Congressman Brian Higgins for helping to secure these funds that will provide us with an opportunity to further diversify our policing efforts to better serve our neighborhoods.”
The grant provides cities with the flexibility to direct the funding in a way that best meets the public safety needs of the community.
In 2022, the JAG areas of emphasis are:
- Combatting hate crime
- Promoting public trust between communities and criminal justice agencies
- Reducing violent crime
- Community violence intervention (CVI)
- Addressing COVID-19
- Crime analysis and investigation
Last year, the Niagara Falls Police Department received a JAG grant which funded two civilian community-police liaison positions, and the purchase of handheld radios.
"We appreciate this additional funding to assist our City police department in its continuing service to our community," said Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino in a statement.