BALTIMORE, MD—The Department of Justice has awarded more than $4.143 million to help public safety agencies in Maryland respond to the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19, as part of the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program.

“These resources will help support law enforcement agencies’ efforts to promote public safety as they face extraordinary challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has funded grants on a rolling basis as applications are received. Funds may be used to hire personnel, pay overtime costs, cover protective equipment and supplies, address correctional inmates’ medical needs, and defray expenses related to the distribution of resources to hard-hit areas, among other activities. Grant funds may be applied retroactively to January 20, 2020, subject to federal supplanting rules.

Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for this emergency funding.

Since June 2, 2020, ten cities, counties, and municipalities received a total of $4,143,689 in grant funds, including $2,770,154 awarded to the City of Baltimore. The other entities receiving funds are: the cities of Laurel, Salisbury, and Hagerstown; Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Charles, Frederick, and St. Mary’s Counties; and the town of Elkton. Four candidates previously received grants—Baltimore and Allegany Counties, and the Cities of Cumberland and Cambridge.

In addition, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services received a grant of more than $11 million to assist Maryland State agencies and other law enforcement entities that did not directly receive FY 2019 Byrne Grants. A complete list of eligible jurisdictions and their allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/fy20-cesf-allocations.

Additional grants were previously distributed to Maryland jurisdictions in May.

More information about the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.