May 3, 2012

GOV. MALLOY: FEDERAL GRANT WILL HELP MUNICIPALITIES COORDINATE ANTI-VIOLENCE EFFORTS

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that 22 cities and towns will share a $915,000 federal grant that will assist cities and towns with preventing and reducing violent crime. The grant prioritizes municipal efforts for coordinated responses to incidents that occur across multiple jurisdictions.

The recipient municipalities comprise the 22 local governments with the highest volume of violent crime from 2007 through 2009 and will each receive between $40,000 to $45,000 that may be used for crime prevention, community education, youth crime intervention, law enforcement patrol, surveillance, investigation and apprehension, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, contractual support, technology and information systems.

"While crime is at record lows in our state, these grants will help us bolster local police department efforts to engage in a coordinated and collaborative response to criminal activity that frequently crosses city and town borders," Governor Malloy said. "Funding will be used to help sustain law enforcement and public safety services, particularly during the summer months when these critical public safety initiatives are needed most."

The Office of Policy and Management has asked each municipality to use this money to develop an anti-violence collaboration similar to what has been emerging in New Haven and Hartford, involving federal, state and local agencies. In addition to police, these efforts have involved prosecutors, courts, probation, parole, corrections officers, clergy, community leaders, mental health and substance abuse professionals and victim advocates.

Together, the 22 municipalities account for 82% of Connecticut's violent crime and 75% of the inmates in the Department of Corrections.

According to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports, crime in Connecticut is currently at its lowest point statewide since 1968, including a significant drop in the first six months of 2011 in most of Connecticut's major cities.

The funding announced today comes from U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) Local Pass Through Justice Assistance Formula Grants. In addition to this funding, these same municipalities will receive direct grants from the USDOJ later this year in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $271,000.

The grant recipients are as follows:

Bridgeport - $45,000
Bristol - $42,000
Danbury - $40,000
East Hartford - $42,000
Hamden - $40,000
Hartford - $45,000
Manchester - $40,000
Meriden - $42,000
Middletown - $40,000
Milford - $40,000
New Britain - $42,000
New Haven - $45,000
New London - $42,000
Norwalk - $42,000
Norwich - $42,000
Stamford - $42,000
Stratford - $40,000
Torrington - $40,000
Waterbury - $42,000
West Hartford - $40,000
West Haven - $42,000
Willimantic - $40,000

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For Immediate Release: May 3, 2012

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