BREDESEN ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR CITY OF MURFREESBORO

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the City of Murfreesboro will receive a federal grant of more than $21,000 to upgrade current software systems used by Rutherford County and the City of Murfreesboro. The funds, awarded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, will upgrade and replace outdated software used by both agencies.

“This grant will greatly improve the ability of Rutherford County Police to respond and provide protection for citizens,” Bredesen said. “The software and equipment upgrades will help create a safer community for both the citizen and officers, and I’m pleased to see these funds provided to support local officials in this effort.”

Through the Byrne Grant Program, the City of Murfreesboro is awarded $10,535 to purchase electronic and manual locks, replacement identification cards, key card sensors and software to operate the record the opening and closing of doors within the system. Rutherford County is also awarded $10,535 to purchase software for an online citizen police reporting system that would include non-serious offenses where there is no known suspect and no immediate danger to the complainant. Byrne grants are awarded to states and local governments through the U.S. Department of Justice to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. The program provides agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they need them most.

Bredesen also announced today three additional Byrne grants. The University of Memphis received $536,609 to support the University’s role “Operation Safe Community: Integrated Gang and Violent Crime Reduction Project,” a local and federal project in Memphis and Shelby County, and the City of Oak Ridge received a grant in the amount of $983,783 for police communications projects. The City of Kingsport was also awarded $13,478 to equip more patrol units technology improvements.

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.