Mount Vernon has been granted a $15,750 federal Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to aid the city in crime prevention and control.

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) revealed that the state had allocated over $5 million from the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, as per an OCJS press release.

According to the same OCJS press release, 153 projects across 56 counties in Ohio were financed through JAG. These grants bolster law enforcement, prosecutors, corrections facilities, and initiatives for crime victims and witnesses. Notably, Mount Vernon was the only agency in Knox County to receive a grant.

The OCJS press release further elaborates that these funds can be utilized for state and local initiatives, strategic planning, technical assistance, data collection, research and evaluation, training, personnel, forensic laboratories among other areas. The intention behind JAG funds is to serve as seed money for establishing new criminal justice system programs.