U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose announced Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, that $2,116,025 in federal grants were awarded in September 2016 to local law enforcement agencies and community organizations in the Western District of North Carolina. The federal grants were awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
A total of $1,081,143 was administered to two grantees by OVW, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice that focuses on reducing violence against women and administering justice for and services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Haywood County received more than $10,000 as part of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG).
The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office put the award toward ballistic and tactical entry vests for the Special Emergency Response Team members to use when they make entry into potentially life threatening situations.
The vests are custom fitted to allow deputies to move and perform more effectively and efficiently. The vests are also more advanced in the way of heat and sweat wicking technology, which will be immensely helpful during long shifts.
