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Governor Ralph Northam announced that more than $6 million in federal funding Monday, Aug 31, from the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program was approved by the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Services Board of the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The Committee awarded 171 grants to localities, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies throughout Virginia.

The Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office was award $49,731. The Lunenburg County Sheriff’s Office was given $49,192 as part of the grant to state law enforcement agencies.

As a program under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, CESF grants assist criminal justice entities in their ongoing mitigation and response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 crisis continues to create tremendous challenges in all areas of our society, and our criminal justice system is no different,” Northam said. “Our public safety professionals are the front lines of this pandemic, and we must ensure they have the resources they need to perform their duties and provide critical services to Virginians who need them most. These grants will help state and local agencies and community organizations across the commonwealth function as effectively as possible as we continue battling this virus.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected how everyone does business, including criminal justice agencies,” Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran said. “This funding will help ensure continuity of operations for essential services and as well as the safety of all individuals interacting with the criminal justice system and the staff supporting it.”

CESF grants will support the purchase of video technology to conduct remote hearings, laptops to enable more employees to telework, as well as additional support for community supervision as more individuals are being diverted away from incarceration. Additionally, this funding will be used to equip those working for criminal justice entities with personal protective equipment, decontamination supplies, and screening equipment to help protect individuals when in-person contact cannot be avoided.

“Recognizing that there will be a continued need for this assistance, we made the strategic decision to disperse this funding in waves,” DCJS Director Shannon Dion said. “These grants will help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in our criminal justice system and in communities across Virginia.”

These awards constitute 56 percent of the $10.83 million in CESF grants awarded to the commonwealth. DCJS anticipates putting out another solicitation within the next nine months to distribute the remaining funding to criminal justice entities in need.