As a part of a $5 million initiative to address public-safety needs across the state, the Healey-Driscoll administration has awarded the Police Department with nearly $50,000 in funding.
The funding, announced by Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on Thursday, aims to address “communities’ unmet public-safety priorities,” across 130 police departments statewide. Marblehead’s allocation of $48,709.07, along with the other awards to town police departments, was made possible through the Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program, a federal grant awarded from the Department of Justice to the Office of Grants and Research.
Departments were required to submit applications for the grant in early 2023 and departments were awarded based on their commitment to “projects that aligned with specific priority areas, including strategies to address unlawful drug use, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, gang and gun violence, missing person cases, and hate crimes.”
The grant also helps departments with upgrades in technology, investigative tools, protective gear, school safety and security, and “efforts to advance racial equity and support underserved communities.”
In a statement, Healey emphasized the importance of the grant money.
“This program invests federal funds to make Massachusetts communities safer and stronger,” Healey said. “This program allows towns and cities to identify their most pressing needs and direct funding to address those challenges. The ability of local public-safety leaders to guide funds toward priority safety initiatives encourages a holistic approach to improving safety in communities with diverse needs.”
This newest public safety grant for the Police Department comes on the heels of a nearly $40,000 grant the department received from the state for traffic-safety enforcement last month. That grant, which was part of a $5.5 million statewide initiative, was awarded for use in a variety of traffic-safety projects like high-visibility enforcement patrols, equipment to enhance road safety such as digital speed signs, pedestrian- and bicyclist-safety initiatives, and public-outreach campaigns.
Driscoll also provided her remarks on the public-safety grant in a statement.
“Investments from programs like this help ensure our communities are safe and thriving,” Driscoll said. “The grant awards announced today will ensure that Massachusetts towns and cities have the resources they need to promote the safety of everyone in their communities.”