Congressman Cardoza Announces over $186,000 Law Enforcement Grant for Stanislaus County and Modesto

Press Release

Today, Congressman Cardoza (D-Merced) announced the Stanislaus County Sherriff's Department and the City of Modesto have been awarded a $186,199 joint law enforcement grant to hire additional officers and purchase equipment. The federal funding is made available through the Department of Justice's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) Program.

"Grants like this will enable Modesto and Stanislaus County to take advantage of new technologies and increase their presence in our communities," said Congressman Cardoza. "The struggling economy has impacted law enforcement budgets, and these additional resources will assist our police and sheriff's departments in making our neighborhoods safer places to live and raise a family."

The Stanislaus County Sherriff's Department will use its portion to hire a new School Resource Deputy at Tuolumne Elementary School to improve community policing and presence in the neighborhood. Modesto's Police Department will use their funds to purchase additional equipment and technology to improve evidence collection and aid in criminal prosecutions.

"Once again, Congressman Cardoza has demonstrated he cares about the Central Valley, its residents, and public safety," said Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson. "I appreciate his courage and leadership during a very difficult economic environment."

Congressman Cardoza has strongly supported Byrne-JAG grants in Congress and has worked with his colleagues to maintain funding for this important law enforcement program. In May, he sent a letter urging the Appropriations Committee to include sufficient funding for Byrne-JAG so local law enforcement has the tools, personnel, and resources necessary to protect and serve their communities.

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice and is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. It provides funding to support a range of programs, including law enforcement, prosecution, crime prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, technology improvement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.

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