WA Law Enforcement Gets $6.3M For New Tools To Prevent & Solve Crime

Funding will help police across the state process sexual assault kits & DNA samples, boost hiring, purchase safety gear, & more

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded 17 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG), two Field Initiated: Encouraging Innovation grants, and one formula funding grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to police departments, sheriff's offices, and municipalities across the State of Washington totaling $6.3 million.

Seventeen of the grants come from the JAG Program, which provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, crime prevention and education, drug treatment and enforcement, technology improvement, and more.

"The Byrne JAG program is an invaluable resource for state and local law enforcement. This funding will provide police across our state the cutting-edge equipment and tools they need to prevent crime, improve public safety, process DNA samples faster, and deliver justice for victims," Sen. Cantwell said.

The following organizations in Washington state received funding:

• The Seattle Police Department:

"With this funding from the Department of Justice, the Seattle Police Department will have more resources to test unsolved rape kits, cover the cost of officer overtime, and implement a stronger emergency triage system so that people who call 9-1-1 can get the kind of help they need," Sen. Cantwell said.

• $448,000 in JAG funding for Snohomish County to support the use of a Rapid DNA system, which allows law enforcement to process DNA found and recovered from a crime scene and receive a DNA profile in approximately 90 minutes. The system can also be used to help first responders identify victims in a mass casualty event.

"Accurate and efficient DNA processing means that police and first responders can process a scene faster. This grant will allow Snohomish County law enforcement to analyze a sample found at a scene and find a potential match in just 90 minutes," Sen. Cantwell said.

• $1 million in Field Initiated: Encouraging Innovation funding for the Washington State Department of Corrections, to hire two new corrections specialists to develop a comprehensive Quality Assurance Manual and Quality Improvement Process.
• $989,698 in formula funding grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families for delinquency prevention interventions and juvenile justice system improvements, including community-based programing and collaboration with groups that work with children re-entering their communities.
• $339,235 in JAG funding for the City of Tacoma and Pierce County to partner with sub-contractors who offer youth violence reducing strategies in high-need neighborhoods, as well as support a sex offender records management system.
• $169,949 in JAG funding for Spokane County, the City of Spokane, and the City of Spokane Valley to support salary and benefits for administrative prosecution staff, build out a Crisis Negotiation Team van, purchase two e-bikes, and purchase tactical equipment.
• $121,258 in JAG funding for Clark County and the City of Vancouver to send new command staff to leadership training. The rest of the funds will be used to invest in new technologies, equipment, and supplies to improve law enforcement efficiency and community safety.
• $63,243 in JAG funding for the City of Yakima to fund police overtime hours for increased patrols in high-density and high-crime areas, as well as new e-bikes for officers and communication equipment.
• $41,304 in JAG funding for the City of Kennewick and Benton County to purchase new radios and ballistic helmets.
• $40,170 in JAG funding for the City of Bellingham to add four more bicycles to its Civil Disturbance Unit, six WRAP restraint systems, and new ballistic vests.
• $39,423 in JAG funding for Kitsap County to purchase ballistic safety equipment.
• $39,064 in JAG funding for the City of Lakewood to purchase an Unmanned Ground System - or tactical robot - which allows officers to investigate situations like suspicious packages, armed subjects, hostage situations, or HAZMAT assessments without placing themselves in harm's way.
• $34,720 in JAG funding for the City of Everett to enhance its police hiring strategies with digital marketing campaigns and targeted visual ads, with the aim of decreasing the current vacancy count from 28 to five.
• $19,809 in JAG funding for the Thurston County Treasurer to purchase two units of Grappler Police Bumper pursuit technology, which is designed to de-escalate high-risk vehicle pursuits and prevent unnecessary injury or property damage.
• $14,524 in JAG funding for the City of Bremerton to maintain and develop crime prevention activities and initiatives for the downtown city core and seven council districts.
• $11,426 in JAG funding for the City of Marysville to purchase an unmanned aerial vehicle.
• $10,098 in JAG funding for the City of Longview to continue its school resource officer program.
• $10,209 in JAG funding for the City of Lynnwood to purchase police equipment.

Sen. Cantwell is a longtime supporter of the JAG program, and for decades has remained a steadfast champion of municipal and tribal law enforcement across Washington state, advocating for technology that helps investigators use DNA to solve crimes faster. Last year, she reintroduced a bill to reauthorize the Debbie Smith Act through 2029, which would provide state and local law enforcement agencies with resources to reduce the national backlog in analyzing DNA evidence from untested rape kits. In 2002, Sen. Cantwell cosponsored the Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act, which unanimously passed in the Senate. This bill included key provisions of the Debbie Smith Act and authorized $275 million over five years.