U.S. Department of Justice Awards $1.4 Million in Grants to City of Syracuse

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - The City of Syracuse has been awarded two grants totaling $1.4 million dollars through the U.S. Department of Justice Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants program to enhance neighborhood street cameras, and to expand programs run by the Syracuse Police Athletic/Activities League, announced Carla Freedman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York.

"I could not be happier that the Department of Justice has awarded these grants to the City of Syracuse to support and expand the Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL), and to enhance the already successful COPS cameras program. The Syracuse PAL engages kids in healthy programming and sports and builds positive relationships with law enforcement officers who volunteer their time. The COPS cameras make neighborhoods safer and are an asset to the Syracuse Police in preventing and combatting crime. These two grants fund the kind of twenty-first century public safety that supports kids in activities that keep them away from crime and gangs, and provides police with the tools they need to keep neighborhoods safe."

Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile said, "Cops Cameras are the number one technology requested by both Syracuse residents and Syracuse Police Officers, and for good reason. They have been instrumental in both prevention and apprehension of all crimes, ranging from homicides to stolen vehicles. I would like to thank the United States Department of Justice for this generous award, and also for their continued partnership with the Syracuse Police Department and the Syracuse community."

Jimmy Oliver, Syracuse Director for Community Engagement (Police Athletic/Activities League), said, "We are very excited about this funding coming to Syracuse PAL so that we can connect Teens, Cops, and Communities. We want to thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for sowing this seed into our mission, and vision. This will impact teens, and law enforcement in Syracuse, and Onondaga county. We will continue to build positive, and intentional relationships with law enforcement and our teenagers."

The project description for the $415,000 awarded to the Syracuse Police Athletic/Activities League says that the funds will be used to support programs for youths 14 to 19 years of age aimed at keeping, "kids safe and help put them on a path to success" through programs like "sports and other activities, and [to] create a sense of belonging, purpose, and pride." The creation of the Syracuse Police Athletic/Activities League was announced in June 2021.

The project description for the $1 million awarded to City of Syracuse for neighborhood street cameras (known as COPS cameras) says they are "essential tools for public safety" and aid "in response to emergencies," "play a key role in criminal investigations," and have been "the top requested technology by the citizens of Syracuse for over a decade."

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program is a U.S. Department of Justice formula grant program. The JAG program allocates funds to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, America Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for a variety of state and local criminal justice initiatives. The program is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).