FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????? BJA

Tuesday, June 4, 2002? ???????????????????????????????????? ??????????? 202/307‑0703

 

 

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES FUNDS TO HELP LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? The Justice Department?s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) will make over $340 million available to enhance local law enforcement services to state and local jurisdictions. Beginning on June 5, 2002, OJP?s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will open the online application process for the FY 2002 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program (LLEBG).? The application period is open for six weeks, closing on July 17, 2002.

 

"We are pleased to assist states and local communities in their efforts to reduce crime and increase security," said OJP's Assistant Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels. "This program allows flexibility to meet local needs."

 

The Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program (LLEBG) directly funds units of local government to support projects that reduce crime and improve public safety.? There are broad funding purposes including hiring officers, paying overtime, and purchasing equiptment.? Originated in the Omnibus Fiscal Year 1996 Appropriations Act (Public Law 104-134), the LLEBG program funds are made available to all states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and approximately 3,600 local units of government in the United States.

 

The LLEBG application and award process is an online, paperless process; the entire transaction is accomplished via the Internet.? To assist with any technical difficulties that may arise relating to the online application process, a toll-free hotline is available to all applicants, 7 days per week, during the entire application process.? The toll-free help desk number is

1-888-549‑9901 (choose option 3).? To assist with program and policy inquiries, BJA's programmatic help desk, also accessed through the same toll-free number, is available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern, by choosing option 4.

 

See the OJP Web site for information about the program and the application:

 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA.

 

For additional information, contact Sheila Jerusalem at 202/307‑0703.

 

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