Feds offer money for law enforcement
$1.5 million part of stimulus package
More than $1.5 million in federal money has been offered to law enforcement agencies in Spokane and Kootenai counties for new equipment, training or personnel.
The money, part of the economic stimulus package, was added to an existing program known as the Edward Byrne Justice Assistant Grants, designed to get more police on the street, more training and equipment to agencies, and more help for crime victims, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said.
The White House has promised to review all requests and approve or reject them within two weeks, a Cantwell spokeswoman said.
The program divides the money between states and local governments. Under its formula, the city of Spokane could request more than $824,000, Spokane Valley $207,600 and Spokane County almost $195,000.
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner said the city got notice of the money Friday and hadn’t had a chance to figure out what they would request as uses for the grant. She has formed a committee to keep track of federal and state stimulus and other money directed to the city “to make sure that we’re making the absolute best use of these dollars.”
“We want to be very strategic in how we use this money because we know it’s one-time money,” Verner said.
In recent years, Spokane Valley received about $15,000 for field computers and software, and Spokane County received $70,535 for a range of equipment that included computers, wireless communication devices, and special ammunition for the SWAT team, as well as money for the neighborhood watch program, said Ciaran Clayton, of Cantwell’s office.
In Idaho, Coeur d’Alene can apply for as much as $320,000 and Kootenai County for about $148,000.
Coeur d’Alene City Administrator Wendy Gabriel said the city and its Police Department would “absolutely” apply for the money. It has used the Byrne program before, and it has sent Gov. Butch Otter a list of things it would seek if money became available under the stimulus package, including a program to fight Internet crime and more money for community-oriented policing.