WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Scott County has been awarded a $234,683 grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Harkin has been a steadfast supporter of the grant program, which funds many drug fighting initiatives across the state. Harkin is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
"The people who put their lives on the line for us deserve our support and our gratitude," said Harkin. "This grant will help to keep them on the job, working to keep drugs off the street and our communities safe."
Details of the grant are as follows:
$234,683 to Scott County for the HIDE Unit, operating under the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group (QCMEG). The county's goal is to reduce the amount of illegal narcotics available to the public and arrest those who distribute illegal narcotics.
The Byrne Grant Program, named after a police officer killed by a violent drug gang twenty years ago, is the only source of federal funding for multi-jurisdictional efforts to prevent and fight crime. The program funds drug task forces that have been vital in reducing methamphetamine labs in Iowa and around the country. Byrne also helps pay for police, technology and crime prevention programs. The grants have resulted in major innovations in crime control, including drug courts, gang prevention strategies and prisoner reentry programs.
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