For Immediate Release
October 01, 2009
CONTACT: Gilbert L. Moore
(202) 616-1728
COPS OFFICE AWARDS $11.4 MILLION IN GRANTS TO STOP CHILD SEXUAL PREDATORS
WASHINGTON, D.C. –
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS) has announced $11.4 million in grants to support partnerships between
state or local government agencies and their U.S. Attorney's and U.S. Marshal's
offices that focus on reducing child endangerment. The funds were awarded to 26
state and local agencies under the Child Sexual Predator Program and will help
officials locate, arrest, and prosecute child sexual predators, as well as
enforce state sex offender registration laws.
"These funds will help local officials and the Justice Department work
together more effectively to stop child sexual predators," said Attorney
General Eric H. Holder. "Communities that are receiving these grants have
made a commitment to a collaborative partnership that will ultimately make a
world of difference in stopping child victimization."
In addition to the grants, COPS will fund the National Center for Missing
& Exploited Children to provide approximately $600,000 in technical
assistance to grant recipients. The technical assistance will include training
on establishing effective anti-child endangerment programs, and on-site guidance
for the grant recipients. The COPS Office will also develop a "best
practices" publication that documents the experience of the grantees and
will benefit other municipalities and states that pursue similar anti-child
endangerment partnerships.
"Today's grants recognize that protecting children from sexual predators
can be done more effectively when law enforcement, prosecutors and other
organizations work in unison, and we are pleased to support their efforts,"
said COPS Acting Director David Buchannan. The COPS Office is a federal agency
responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has
awarded over $12.5 billion to advance community policing, including grants
awarded to more than 13,600 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to
fund the hiring of officers and provide a variety of knowledge resources
including community policing publications, training and technical assistance.
For additional information about COPS Secure Our Schools program, and to view
a list of municipalities that received grants, visit COPS Web site at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
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• Child Sexual Predator Program 2009 Grant Recipient List: PDF
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