03.06.2009

Baucus, Tester announce nearly $5 million in Jobs Bill money boosts law enforcement and public safety

(BOZEMAN, Mont.) – Montana’s U.S. Senators today announced that the State of Montana, 20 cities, and 24 counties will receive nearly $5 million in Jobs Bill money to boost local law enforcement efforts to prevent crime, drug abuse and violence.

Montana Cities receiving money:

$16,236 – City of Belgrade
$65,741 – City of Bozeman
$174,866 – City of Billings
$11,445 – City of Columbia Falls
$32,737 – City of Cut Bank
$19,962 – City of Hamilton
$36,464 – City of Havre
$82,243 – City of Helena
$142,395 – City of Great Falls
$57,224 – City of Kalispell
$10,380 – City of Laurel
$15,437 – City of Lewistown
$19,430 – City of Libby
$18,631 – City of Livingston
$182,052 – City of Missoula
$23,954 – City of Polson
$10,912 – City of Red Lodge
$16,236 – City of Ronan
$11,711 – City of Stevensville
$15,969 – City of Whitefish

Montana Counties receiving money:

$22,091 – City and County of Anaconda-Deer Lodge
$44,448 – Big Horn County
$18,897 – Broadwater County
$116,311 – City and County of Butte-Silver Bow
$32,471 – Cascade County
$106,197 – Flathead County
$44,715 – Gallatin County
$18,365 – Glacier County
$19,962 – Hill County
$14,106 – Jefferson County
$57,224 – Lake County
$43,916 – Lewis and Clark County
$38,859 – Lincoln County
$19,696 – Mineral County
$63,346 – Missoula County
$10,380 – Musselshell County
$17,833 – Park County
$13,042 – Powell County
$34,601 – Ravalli County
$13,574 – Rosebud County
$22,091 – Sanders County
$10,380 – Teton County
$12,509 – Toole County
$47,642 – Yellowstone County

The Montana Board of Crime Control will receive $3,165,819. In addition to supporting law enforcement programs throughout the state, the Montana Board of Crime Control will host a website designed to provide guidance for local law enforcement and public safety agencies to access the Justice Assistance Grants funds, COPS, Rural Law Enforcement Grants and the other available discretionary funds. The Board is also soliciting input from local law enforcement and public safety agencies for ideas and recommendations for new programs.

“Over the last few years Montana has experienced a downward decrease in federal funding negatively impacting law enforcement and public safety,” said Roland Mena, Executive Director of the Montana Board of Crime Control. “The $4,972,500 of Justice Assistance Grant funds secured by Senators Baucus and Tester under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are not only timely given the economic downturn, but will be a boost to Montana Law Enforcement who have struggled to maintain their efforts to keep Montanans safe and protect our quality of life." As stated by Sheriff Hugh Hopwood of Mineral County, 'They [the Sheriffs' staff] don't know if they will have a job from week to week and when you strap on a gun and a badge and deal with everyone else's problems, that leaves little for them to draw on to deal with their own problems.' Sheriff Hopwood has lost a third of his staff.”

“Making Montana’s communities safer and better places to live and work has always been one of my top priorities,” Baucus said. “It’s good to see this money go to work for Montanans and to support good jobs in the Big Sky State.”

“Smart investments in proven public safety measures for Montana’s communities just makes common sense,” Tester said. “I voted for the Jobs Bill that’s providing these law enforcement funds because Montanans need common sense public policy, not more politics as usual.”

The $4,972,500 in grant money comes from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which funds law enforcement, drug fighting and prosecution efforts across the country.

The funding is part of the Jobs Bill, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The House voted for the bill 246 to 183 on February 13, 2009. The Senate voted 60 to 38 on February 13, 2009. President Obama signed the bill into law on February 17, 2009.