Rep. Sewell secures $24.7 million from the DOJ

Last Friday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, AL-07, announced more than $24.7 million in federal funding from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to address crime and public safety across Alabama’s 7th Congressional District and in the State of Alabama. This comprehensive investment will support law enforcement, crime prevention, victim assistance, and emergency management programs across the Northern District of Alabama.

“I am thrilled to announce that the City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, the Alabama Department of Commerce, ADECA, and ALEA will receive $24.7 million in grant funding from the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs, ” said Rep. Sewell. “These critical grants will ensure that local law enforcement agencies and community organizations have the resources they need to break the cycle of violence, prevent crime, and save lives. They will go a long way in making our communities safer for our children and families. I was so proud to advocate for this funding at the federal level and will continue working with our state and local partners to keep Alabamians safe.”

Rep. Sewell announced the following DOJ grants for communities in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District:

Birmingham and Jefferson County 

• $4,200,000 – The City of Birmingham will use this funding for additional cameras and intelligence resources that provide information to its Real Time Crime Center.
• $1,000,000 – This funding will allow Jefferson County to provide Veterans’ Treatment Court Services that will be provided via the University of Alabama of Birmingham.
• $833,000 – Jefferson County will use this funding to support the treatment of substance abuse disorders for people involved within the local justice system. 
• $500,000 – This funding will be used by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office to enhance its investigations and prosecutions of domestic violence cases.

Rep. Sewell announced the following DOJ grants for state agencies:

The Alabama Department of Commerce

• $741,975 – This funding will be used to collaborate with The Dannon Project for opioid recovery and intervention youth programming. 

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) 

• $11,850,932 – This funding will go to the Victim of Crimes Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant, which provides direct assistance to crime victims, with priority going to victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault and population groups who have been previously underserved. 
• $2,555,663 – This funding will be distributed for crisis intervention programming.

Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) 

• $3,097,598 – This funding will be used to enhance criminal background check and justice statistics systems.

Rep. Sewell, joined by Miles College President Dr. Bobbie Knight, also announced that $850,000 of what she secured will go to improve public safety resources on the campus of Miles College and the surrounding community. The funding will be used to increase safety lighting on campus, procure upgraded security cameras, invest in broadband-enabled security devices, and purchase new public safety vehicles.

“As our Birmingham community continues to grapple with the horrific impacts of gun violence, there is no better time to ensure that our students, faculty, and staff are safe and secure on campus,” said Rep. Sewell. “The $850,000 that we secured will help Miles College procure additional lighting, security equipment, and vehicles to provide for the safety of the entire campus community. It will help the students here at Miles College focus on what matters most: learning, leading, getting involved, and building community.”

This funding is part of the $13.1 million that Rep. Sewell secured in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal government funding package for local projects in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.