November 30, 2004

Reid Delivers Nearly $4.8 Million For Nevada Justice Programs

Congress OKs funds for police communications, legal education

Washington, D.C. – In an effort to support justice programs in Nevada, U.S. Senator Harry Reid won $4.8 million that will benefit law enforcement operations, legal education centers, and domestic assistance programs.

These programs were requested in the fiscal year 2005 Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary (CJSJ) Appropriations bill, which became part of the FY05 Omnibus Appropriations bill.

“As a former police officer, I know how important it is for our law enforcement officers to have the equipment they need,” said Reid. “These funds will help the police protect our families and communities.”

Funding for these projects was requested by Reid as part of a large government spending bill that passed the Senate.

Following is a list of justice programs funded in the bill:

$1.5 million	for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to meet the new communication requirements of the Department of Homeland Security for radio interoperability. This will improve ability to communicate in real time with other local and federal public safety agencies.
$750,000	for the National Judicial College in Reno, which trains approximately 3,000 judges each year.
$735,000	for the Family Development Foundation in Las Vegas. This is an Andre Agassi program for at-risk youth. Funds will be used to provide the leadership and guidance to develop, expand, and enhance community responses to family problems with the purpose of addressing the needs of at-risk youth.
$550,000	for the Henderson Emergency Operations Center. Henderson does not have a secondary Emergency Operations/Dispatch Center. Specifically, the funds will be used to equip secondary centers which will be housed in the police substation in southwest Henderson.
$250,000	for Nevada Child Seekers, a non-profit agency in Las Vegas dedicated to locating missing, abducted and runaway children. This agency provides a networking system for the identification of missing children, conducts crisis counseling, and aids in locating these children.
$225,000	for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) and Nevada’s Commission on Economic Development. CET conducts programming to support the growth of entrepreneurship and technology throughout Nevada. Specifically, the funds will be used to create a statewide technology resource directory, conduct training and education seminars, develop Nevada’s interstate and intrastate marketing capabilities, and implement a technology strategy for Nevada.
$200,000	for the Computer Corps Skills and Knowledge Acquired Toward Enhancing Success (SKATES) program , a Carson City based nonprofit organization that refurbishes outdated computers, provides computer hardware and software to Nevada communities, and trains families how to use computers. The SKATES program works with the Washoe County School District and provides academic tutoring and training in computer maintenance to at-risk youth who have been suspended from school. Specifically, the funds will supplement the current program in Washoe County and will expand the program to Douglas, Storey, and Western Lyon Counties.
$200,000	for the Boulder City Wireless Communications Canopy, Highway Advisory Equipment. Boulder City seeks to enable personnel to more easily communicate with residents in the case of an emergency. Specifically, funds will be used to create a communications link from Red Mountain into a collocation facility in Las Vegas.
$155,000	for Churchill County Sheriff’s office to meet the new communication requirements of the Department of Homeland Security for radio inoperability.
$100,000	for the S.A.F.E. House Domestic Violence Counseling Center. This center counsels victims of domestic violence and their children. Specifically, the funds will permit the center to eliminate their wait list by expanding capacity and will permit the organization to hire an additional counselor.
$50,000	for the UNLV Boyd School of Law Immigration Clinic.
$50,000	for the UNR Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies. The Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies, offers continuing education courses for judges and justice system personnel. Specifically, the Grant Sawyer Center seeks to expand programming to work with judges and law enforcement personnel who encounter cases arising from the context of political violence in global society.
$30,000	for Mineral County Sheriff’s office to purchase bulletproof vests and tazers for each officer.

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