(Anchorage, AK) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy Monday announced a distribution of federal and state funds prioritizing Alaskans’ public safety as the 2021 fiscal year nears closure. Totaling $2.4 million in state general funds and previously authorized federal CARES Act funds, the investments in domestic violence response and care, policing, and protecting the integrity of the courts, will be distributed to state agencies and non-profit organizations at the governor’s direction.
“The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic showed both the depth of Alaskans’ need for support, and the degree of need Alaska’s public servants have for resources to meet the extraordinary measures their call of duty places upon them,” said Governor Dunleavy, “In order to meet the challenges our geography and remoteness present, made even more real in the last year, investments in our safety netting like these will make it possible for Alaskans to get help when they need it most.”
The $2.4 million in public safety investments include:
- $1 million in grants to victim service providers combating domestic violence and sexual assault that contended with added costs of complying with COVID-19 safety protocols
- $400 thousand for software addressing the Alaska Court System’s cyber security needs and responding to ongoing cyber security attacks
- $440 thousand for de-escalation training customized for Probation Officers tasked with sexual assault and domestic violence offenders
- $350 thousand for the Departments of Public Safety and Corrections’ Officer Wellness and Resiliency Mobile Applications
- $230 thousand for the Department of Law’s costs managing COVID conditions
“Governor Dunleavy has made public safety job number one since taking office. This additional funding will be felt on the front lines of law enforcement, by survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and by Alaskans across the state ” said Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. “The critical job of keeping Alaskans safe didn’t take a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this special funding will help with some of the costs that many law enforcement agencies and organizations encountered during the pandemic and our recovery.”
As the 2021 fiscal year nears an end, the Dunleavy administration will announce further distribution decisions affecting other important segments of Alaska.
###
