U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-1st, is announcing millions of dollars in federal funding for law enforcement and urban development in Lake County.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, included in the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act are the following:

*$3 million for the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area for operations.

*$475,000 to the Schererville, St. John, and Dyer police departments for law enforcement equipment.

*$225,000 to the Griffith Police Department for law enforcement equipment.

*$50,000 to the Hebron Police Department for law enforcement equipment.

“Times are tough and I know that law enforcement agencies in Northwest Indiana and across the country are suffering,” Visclosky said. “With the economy slumping and communities in turmoil, it is more important than ever to provide officers with the resources they need to fight crime and keep our communities safe. This funding is designed to do exactly that.”

Also included in the legislation is $25 million for Visclosky’s nationwide Bulletproof Vest Partnership. Since its creation in 1998, that program has invested over $234 million in helping 818,000 police officers purchase bulletproof vests. In Northwest Indiana, the program has provided over $524,000 toward the purchase or replacement of over 2,800 vests.

Meanwhile, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is authorizing a total of $5,882,482 in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

*$550,643 to Lake County.

*$1,498,882 to Gary.

*$948,137 to Hammond.

*$559,073 to East Chicago.

“These funds are designed to help Northwest Indiana recover economically,” Visclosky said. “This funding will help people hit hard by the recession to stay in their homes while they work to improve their circumstances and provide our communities with the resources they need to create economic opportunities.”

The HUD grants enable communities to “undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide decent affordable housing, and create economic opportunities, primarily for persons of low and moderate income.”

Posted 2/26/2009