The award will go towards violence reduction initiatives in the school districts.
Today, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) highlighted highlighted the DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services approval of more than $2.77 million in School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grants for six Mississippi school districts.
The DOJ’s award will go towards violence reduction initiatives in the Jefferson Davis County, Forest Municipal, Coahoma County, Quitman County, Scott County, and Natchez-Adams school districts.
“The Justice Department provides these funds to support a variety of activities to protect students by improving security at schools and emergency preparedness,” Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith said. “I’m pleased these predominantly rural Mississippi school districts will have new resources to address these issues.
The SVPP funds for Mississippi include:
- Jefferson Davis County School District – $500,000
- Forest Municipal School District – $478,796
- Coahoma County School District – $468,375
- Quitman County School District – $445,337
- Scott County School District – $443,544
- Natchez-Adams School District – $439,787
Up to $53 million in funding is available for the FY21 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Every award is three years for a maximum of $500,000 per award.
Due to the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018), SVPP funding provides up to 75% funding for the following school safety measures in and around K-12 schools:
- Coordination with law enforcement
- Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self
- Metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures
- Technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency
- Any other measure that the COPS Office determines may provide a significant improvement in security
Anne Summerhays
