Pittsburgh Review

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) announced the awarding of $170 million to over 220 law enforcement agencies and county district attorneys' offices statewide through two new programs aimed at both improving community safety and supporting local law enforcement, according to a release published on December 15.

“These grant programs are one more tool in our toolbox to create safer communities across Pennsylvania,” Wolf said. “With adequate resources, our local law enforcement and investigative offices can better protect and serve.”

The Local Law Enforcement Support (LLES) Program, and the Gun Violence Investigation & Prosecution (GIVIP) Program, are both administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Wolf secured the funding for the two programs in his final budget as governor, as he has been committed to preventing violence through community investments and executive action, with no legislative support from Pennsylvania's General Assembly in regard to passing gun violence protection laws.

The LLES program provides law enforcement agencies with the resources necessary to implement information technology improvements, purchase or upgrade equipment, pay for nontraditional law enforcement personnel costs, support retention and recruitment efforts and provide adequate training. Grant priority will be given to Pennsylvania areas with high rates of violence, as well as to law enforcement agencies with low clearance rates, or a lower ability to solve crimes.

The GVIP program provides county district attorneys' offices and local law enforcement agencies with more tools to properly investigate and prosecute firearm violations and violent crimes committed with firearms. Funding will be allowed to be spent on the following: improving multi-agency gun violence task forces; personnel costs; technology and software focused on improving investigations, prosecutions or clearance rates; firearm tracing programs; and all other efforts that aid in the investigation, arrest and prosecution of a crime involving firearms.