U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder have announced $2 billion in Recovery Act 2009 funding allocations for state and local law enforcement assistance available through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne-JAG) program.

“This funding is key to helping our states and local governments fight crime and keep our streets safe,” said Attorney General Holder. “The Department of Justice is moving ahead of schedule to allocate these resources so we can retain police officers, enhance law enforcement capabilities, and ensure that we have the tools and equipment necessary to build safer communities.”