BREDESEN ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR JOHNSON CITY AND WASHINGTON COUNTY

NASHVILLE –Governor Phil Bredesen today announced that Johnson City will receive a federal grant of $11,646 to be used by Johnson City and Washington County to continue efforts to address crime prevention, crime control and public safety. The funds are awarded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which supports a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs.

 “This grant will be utilized to purchase and replace equipment that will help ensure the safety of both law enforcement officers and the citizens they protect,” said Bredesen. “I’m pleased to see these funds provided to support local officials in these efforts.”  

Through the Byrne Grant Program, Johnson City will use $5,823 to purchase taser devices to maximize officer safety, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will use $5,823 to purchase replacement sidearms for its officers.

Byrne grants are awarded to states and local governments through the U.S. Department of Justice. The program provides agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they need them most. 

Thanks to Byrne funding in 2007, Tennessee was able to provide correctional programming to approximately 800 offenders in a variety of projects, with resulting recidivism rates well below the national average in all projects.  Additionally, victim and witness coordinators in 13 judicial districts provided victim assistance in filing warrants, learning how the criminal justice system works, and obtaining restitution.