Representative Angie Craig Announces Public Safety Funding for the Prairie Island Indian Community

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced that the Prairie Island Indian Community has been awarded $600,028 in federal funding through the Department of Justice's COPS Coordinating Tribal Assistance Program. The Coordinating Tribal Assistance Program allocates funding for American Indian and Alaska Native communities to meet the unique public safety challenges facing their communities, enhance law enforcement, bolster justice systems and serve crime victims.

"Every single community deserves access to the resources and support it needs to ensure the safety of its residents. So, I'm pleased to announce that the Prairie Island Indian Community has received this critical increase in public safety funding," said Representative Craig. "The community faces unique public safety challenges – and this funding gives them the tools they need to handle them safely and effectively."

This year, the COPS Office has awarded $27.72 million to 47 Tribes to expand the implementation of community policing and meet the most serious needs of law enforcement in Tribal nations through a broadened comprehensive program. The funding can be used to hire or re-hire full-time career law enforcement officers and village public safety officers as well as to procure basic equipment, technology and training to assist in the initiation or enhancement of Tribal community policing efforts.

###