The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce the availability of federal American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funds for law enforcement efforts.

“Treasury recognizes the importance of comprehensive approaches to challenges like violence. The final rule includes an enumerated eligible use for community violence intervention programs in all communities, not just the disproportionately impacted communities eligible under the interim final rule. Given the increased rate of violence during the pandemic, Treasury has determined that this enumerated eligible use is responsive to the impacts of the pandemic in all communities. The final rule incorporates guidance issued after the interim final rule on specifically types of services eligible, including:

• Evidence-based practices like focused deterrence, street outreach, violence interrupters, and hospital-based violence intervention models, complete with wraparound services such as behavioral therapy, trauma recovery, job training, education, housing and relocation services, and financial assistance; and
• Capacity-building efforts at community violence intervention programs like funding more intervention workers, increasing their pay, providing training and professional development for intervention workers, and hiring and training workers to administer the programs.”1 The Virginia State Budget allocated $75,000,000 in ARPA funds in the first year to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services “to make one-time grants to state and local law enforcement agencies located in the Commonwealth, including colleges and universities, local and regional jails for the purpose of training and purchasing equipment and supplies to support law enforcement related activities, excluding equipment for which one-time equipment grants were appropriated from the general fund in Item 406, Chapter 552, 2021 Acts of Assembly (Body Worn Camera Grant Program). Of the amount provided, no less than $60,000,000 shall be provided for the support of local law enforcement agencies. Of the amount provided, the Director, Department of Criminal Justice Services, is authorized to recover reasonable, one-time costs related to administering this grant program. Any distribution made to a local law enforcement agency shall not require a local match. The Department shall report on the distributions made to the Governor, the Chairs of the House Appropriations and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Secretary of Finance by November 1, 2023.”

Approved applications for this non-competitive funding opportunity will be awarded upon approval of the Criminal Justice Services Board on May 11, 2023, and any pending approvals necessary from the Department of Accounts.

File: 

 DCJS ARPA Equipment Grant Programs Claims Information Session