ROCKPORT — Chief John Horvath is pleased to announce that the Rockport Police Department has been awarded a total of $28,910 in federal grant funds allocated by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR).
The Rockport Police Department received a $11,970 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a $16,940 grant from the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program.
“These funds will allow our department to implement new, state-of-the-art technology and continue our efforts to provide the highest quality policing services to our community,” Chief Horvath said. “I’d like to recognize and thank Assistant Chief Mark Schmink, Officer Michael Anderson and Office Manager Michelle Rowe for all of the work they did to apply for these grants.”
JAG funding will allow the Rockport Police Department to purchase and implement the IN FORCE911 Software Platform, which facilitates faster communication and is used to reduce police response times in an emergency, often specifically for schools. JAG funding will also allow the department to purchase mobile/law-based reporting modules for cruisers.
The grants were part of $7.8 million in funding that the Baker-Polito Administration allocated yesterday to provide access to equipment and strengthen training, crime prevention and enforcement initiatives across the Commonwealth.
The JAG program provided $4.6 million to fund needs such as protective equipment and communications infrastructure statewide. The NHTSA provided $3.2 million to fund traffic enforcement campaigns, safety equipment, and non-enforcement activities to help reduce vehicle crashes and the resulting injuries and loss of life. The funds are allocated to local agencies by the OGR.
The Rockport Police Department is among more than 160 law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth that were awarded grant funding.
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