Sheriff’s office awarded JAG grant
OCJS Awards Over $5 Million in Justice Assistance Grants for Ohio Communities
The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) announced today that over $5 million in federal Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) have been awarded to help communities prevent and control crime.
The annual grants support the crime prevention work of law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, corrections facilities, crime victim and witness initiatives, and others. In total, 153 projects were funded in 56 counties.
JAG funds may be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, strategic planning, research and evaluation (including forensics), data collection, training, personnel, equipment, forensic laboratories, supplies, contractual support and criminal justice information systems.
The competitive grant process solicited grant proposals from state agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges, universities and other criminal justice-related agencies from throughout the state. The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office was awarded $31,444.08 in funding to seed their “new” Mobile Data Terminal project. Mobile data terminals (MDTs) are electronic devices that law enforcement officers use in their vehicles to access information, enter data for reports, and communicate with dispatch.
“Today’s announcement allows our office to continue to build on several projects underway as part of our Seneca County Sheriff Office’s commitment to the safety of Seneca County communities. Since taking office in 2021, our office has launched several initiatives to help increase training, increase deputy safety, and improve public confidence in our policing. Our cruiser computers are getting obsolete, and to get the funding to start updating and maintaining our advanced computer equipment is critical to our present and future success with criminal investigations. Our ability to effectively combine our short and long-term efforts in reducing crime will significantly impact the future of our neighborhoods and the citizens we serve,” Sheriff Fredrick Stevens said.