The U.S. Department of Justice will distribute $5.8 million to 16 law enforcement programs across the state.
The grants and programs are meant to support law enforcement, bolster forensic science research, as well as prevent and respond to crimes against children.
The largest individual award is more than $3 million from the DOJ’s Law Enforcement Transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to Improve Hate Crime Reporting Program to Full Circle Training Solutions, a law enforcement training firm in Morgantown.
The Berkeley County Commission will receive $1 million for school safety from the DOJ STOP School Violence Program, which is designed to assist local and state authorities in improving efforts to reduce violent crime in and around schools.
The DOJ Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes Program awarded West Virginia University more than $500,000 for the development of methods for the identification and analysis of forensic evidence for criminal justice purposes.
Wyoming, Mercer, Randolph, Berkeley and Fayette Counties as well as Clarksburg, Elkins and Morgantown will each receive a DOJ Assistance Grant averaging $15,000.