Warner, Kaine Announce Over $6 Million In Federal Funding To Boost Public Safety, Support Local Law Enforcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $6,733,892 in federal grant funding for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to help state and local law enforcement agencies strengthen crisis intervention systems, expand evidence-based diversion strategies, and improve public safety across the Commonwealth. This funding comes from the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program and Byrne State Crisis Intervention Formula Program (SCIP). The SCIP program is made possible by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, landmark legislation championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine that includes commonsense provisions similar to those outlined in the senators' Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence.

"As former governors, we know firsthand that state and local law enforcement agencies are often asked to do more with fewer resources," said the senators. "The safety of all Virginians - including those on the force - is dependent on law enforcement officers, behavioral health professionals, and community partners receiving the tools and training they need to respond effectively to public safety crises. We're thrilled to announce these federal dollars that will strengthen crisis response, support evidence-based crime prevention, and make communities across Virginia safer."

The grant awards include:

• $4,149,031 through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to support state and local law enforcement agencies and criminal justice partners through evidence-based, coordinated, and data-driven initiatives. This funding will help improve law enforcement training equipment, technology, and intelligence-led policing programs; strengthen prosecution and court programs to enhance case processing and judicial effectiveness; expand prevention and education programs that promote partnerships and community-based crime reduction and public awareness; advance corrections programs, including reentry and supervision strategies and drug treatment and enforcement programs addressing opioid and fentanyl misuse; strengthen data systems and evidence-based decision-making; and bolster behavioral health response initiatives, including Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) and Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) programs.
• $2,584,861 through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) to strengthen crisis intervention systems and expand evidence-based diversion strategies for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, substance use disorders, and violence-related risk factors. This funding will serve local governments, courts, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, behavioral health providers, community supervision agencies, specialty dockets, victim service organizations, and community-based organizations - including those in rural and underserved communities. This investment is expected to increase diversion capacity, expand access to behavioral health treatment and stabilization services, improve coordination of crisis response, increase engagement and specialty docket completion by participants, reduce recidivism and violent reoffending, and strengthen statewide crisis intervention infrastructure.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to protect law enforcement, strengthen public safety, and improve the criminal justice system. In April, they reintroduced the Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act, legislation to enact a series of commonsense gun violence prevention measures that have been approved by Virginia's elected officials. The senators also supported the bipartisan First Step Act, a historic criminal justice law that reduced sentences for nonviolent offenders and lower recidivism rates. In 2020, they joined 31 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Justice in Policing Act to improve police accountability for misconduct, increase transparency through better data collection, and improve police practices and training.

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