The US Department of Justice has awarded more than $85.3-million to bolster school security and over $2.7-million of that is coming to South Dakota.
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety was awarded grants for the following: $500,000 for School Violence Technology and Threat Assessment Solutions for Safer Schools Program, $998,240 for a State School Safety Center, and a $500,000 for a School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program.
Additionally, the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services awarded the South Dakota Attorney General’s office $714,268 as part of the COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force Program Awards.
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons says the Department of Justice is committed to school safety. He says these new federal grants include funding to educate and train students, faculty and first responders.
The 2018 STOP School Violence Act authorized the Department of Justice to create a series of grant award programs under a School Violence Prevention Program. This year, the Department made 215 awards to schools, districts and other jurisdictions throughout the United States.
