The Pierce County County will talk Tuesday about how the Pierce County Sheriff's Department plans to spend more than a million in federal grant money.

A resolution endorsing the Sheriff's Department's acceptance of the $1,083,891.50 grant is on the council's agenda.

We wrote about the grant and the department's (and other law enforcement agencies) plan to spend the grant money. Find that story here and the sidebar here.

Here's the Council agenda item:

A Resolution of the Pierce County Council Endorsing the Pierce County Sheriff Department's Acceptance of a Grant Award of $1,083,891.50 in Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant Funds for Public Safety and Judicial Services that Address Critical Needs for Pierce County Citizens; and Providing a Public Hearing on the County's Proposed Use of the Money Received.

It appears this is the same grant that was announced earlier this year, according to the state Office of Financial Management.

There is a new deadline for local agencies to apply.

OLD VERSION:
More federal stimulus money will be flowing into the state - and Pierce County - soon for law enforcement-related efforts.

The U.S. Attorney General announced today that the state will receive more than $22.4 million in Recovery Act funds. In addition, the City of Lakewood has been awarded $340,124 and Yelm $10,190.

The grants are on top of millions in other federal grants announced for the state earlier this year. (Read what local agencies want to do with a round of grant money announced in March here.)

The $22.4 million grant (called a Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant) announced today is part of $4 billion in Justice Department Recovery Acts funds that are being doled out to state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, the federal Department of Justice reported in a press release.

In its grant application, the state Department of Community Trade and Economic Development noted it planned to spend money to:

* Help hire a person to assist the agency in complying with and evaluating the grants.

* Hire people for a narcotic task force peer review process.

* Hand out to ineligible local jurisdictions.

* Endorse competitive programs directed at law enforcement, prosecution and courts.

* Support efforts between the state Department of Corrections and local law enforcement agencies to suppress gang activity.

* Support drug task force initiatives.

* Keep prosecutors employed.

* Support state initiatives that provide gang enforcement, intervention and prevention.

Under the terms of the grant, the state must dole out 40 percent of the award to local jurisdictions. That allocation is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics.

The state keeps the remaining 60 percent.

Agencies must "apply" for the grants - meaning they need to tell the Department of Justice on the money is going to be spent. Those applications are due June 17.

The Puyallup Tribe has received $225,000 in federal money to hire officers.

The grant award was announced today by the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Police Services. The office awarded $19.8 million to 62 law enforcement agencies so that 269 officers could be hired, according to a press release. Besides the Puyallup Tribe, the cities of Bremerton and Seattle received grant money in Washington.

The grants are intended to provide up to 75 percent of the total salary and benefits for each new officer for the next three years. That pencils out to about $75,000 each. Local money is supposed to pick up the rest.

"All jurisdictions that receive grants must retain the COPS-funded officer positions for at least one complete local budget cycle following the three-year federal funding period," the press release states. "The grants are intended to enhance the community policing capacity of local law enforcement agencies to address violent crime."

Pierce County could receive $500,000 to fight gangs from the federal government soon.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) has included the money in a spending bill headed for the full Senate’s approval, her office announced today. (In a separate press release, Murray announced she's also added $1 million to the same bill for the Washington State Meth Initiative.)

The money would go to Pierce County’s Comprehensive Regional Gang Prevention Initiative, which aims to help at-risk youth who are exposed to or already engaged in criminal behavior. The initiative pulls together prevention specialists, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, school officials and community-based organizations.

Murray’s $500,000 request is part of the 2009 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill. She is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.

The bill is headed to the full Senate for consideration.

Tacoma got some federal money last year to start the prevention efforts. I included information about that grant in a story on the gang situation earlier this year.

Here's the excerpt on the federal money.

=> Read more!

FEMA has awarded the South Pierce Fire & Rescue department $261,250, according to Congressman Dave Reichert.

The fire department plans to use the grant money to buy a new vehicle. The new rig will replace a 26-year-old tender, Fire Chief Bob Vellias said in a press release.

The grant money came from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which aims to enhance the ability of first responders to protect the health and safety of the public.

A study published by Wake Forest University has found that the use of Tasers is relatively low-risk for those zapped with the devices.

Some civil rights groups question the results.

The Crystal Judson Family Justice Center in Tacoma has received a $750,000, two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The award "encourages the treatment of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and
stalking as serious violations of criminal law," according to a press release.

With the money, the center plans to partner with local agencies to address violence against women in diverse and traditionally underserved populations. The grant also will strengthen the center's goal of providing comprehensive victim services.

The center is a one-stop venue for victims of domestic violence, who can access information and resources from the community organizations and law enforcement agencies.

The center is named for Crystal Judson, who's husband, Tacoma Police Chief David Brame, fatally shot her and then himself in April 2003.