JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger announced that jurisdictions across the Eastern District of Virginia have recently been awarded over $972,500 in Department of Justice grants for COVID-19.
The grants will be issued to James City County, City of Chesapeake, City of Leesburg, Town of Stafford, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County.
The grants are available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by President Trump recently signed law.
DOJ says they are moving quickly to award grants aims to have funds available as soon as possible after receiving applications.
The City of Chesapeake was awarded with $386,783 in grants and James City County received $34,507.
“Those on the front lines of the public safety response to the coronavirus have our support, gratitude, and utmost respect,” said Terwilliger. “The Department of Justice provides this funding with significant flexibility, so that state and local departments can use it in the ways that best benefit their officers and their community.”
DOJ granted over $11 million to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, the City of Petersburg, the City of Alexandria, the County of Hanover, and the City of Suffolk earlier this month.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
Virginia jurisdictions can use the money in a variety of ways, including for staffing, overtime, protective gear or medical care in jails and prisons.
