Howell, Others Get Grants For Innovative Policing Projects

Howell Police recently added a set of five 2019 Dodge Chargers to their fleet. (Photo courtesy Howell Police)

NEWARK– The Department of Justice will be doling out $2.2 million in grant funding to communities with innovative law enforcement agencies and stakeholders through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants Program.

  COPS Office Director Phil Keith said 29 awards would be present with amounts ranging from $15,090 to $100,000.

  The State Department of Law and Public Safety is receiving a $34,350 grant for its Officer Safety and Wellness Program and Howell Township is receiving a $93,357 grant for its Youth Engagement Program.

  “These funds will provide additional resources for the development of policing strategies that will improve the way law enforcement interacts with the people they are sworn to protect,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.

  He added, “this comes at a crucial time, as we work to refine and enhance community policing strategies.”

  Keith said, “the CPD Microgrants Program is a critical resource to advance innovative community policing projects across the country. These strategic investments from the COPS Office pay huge dividends to state and local law enforcement agencies and the communities that they serve.”

  CPD Microgrants Program funds are used to develop the capacity of local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies to implement community policing strategies.

  Applicants were invited to propose demonstration or pilot projects to be implemented in their agency that offer creative ideas to advance crime fighting, community engagement, problem solving, or organizational changes to support community policing in one of the following areas:

  • Human Trafficking
  • Meeting Rural Law Enforcement Challenges
  • Officer Safety and Wellness
  • Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention
  • School Safety
  • Staffing and Allocation Studies
  • Victim-Centered Approaches
  • Violent Crime
  • Youth Engagement

  To learn more about CPD Microgrants, including seeing a list of awards, visit cops.usdoj.gov/cpdmicrogrants.