Press Releases

SAVANNAH – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) this week secured federal funding through the Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to purchase necessary equipment for the Savannah Police Department.

The grant will allow the City of Savannah to purchase two bomb suits for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, upgrade necessary equipment for the Underwater Search and Recovery Team, and equip the Garden City Police Department with light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology to combat the threat that a three-year spike in traffic accidents has had on public safety.  

“As a longtime supporter of the JAG grant program, I am thrilled that these funds will be used to support the Savannah and Garden City police departments. This grant will ensure that our public safety officers have the resources necessary to serve and protect South Georgians,” said Rep. Carter.

“We are grateful to the Department of Justice for helping us better equip the Savannah Police Department with these grant funds,” Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson, II said. “The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and the Underwater Search and Recovery team play a vital role in our public safety. Upgrading their equipment through this grant helps keep Savannah a safe place to live and visit.”

BACKGROUND

According to its website, The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The JAG Program provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, technology improvement, crime victim and witness initiatives, mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams, and implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives including, but not limited to, mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.

Read the DOJ’s JAG program fact sheet here.

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