September 30, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) today announced that the Department of Justice awarded the Missouri Department of Public Safety $1,011,443 in federal grants to help reimburse state and local law enforcement agencies in Missouri for unanticipated overtime and salary costs associated with responding to the prior civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo.

“Many state and local law enforcement agencies were already struggling to meet their day-to-day responsibilities, but they stepped in with officers and support to help provide security for the Ferguson community in a time of unrest,” said Blunt. “I’ve been working with the DOJ since August 2014 to obtain funding, so law enforcement agencies responding to the civil unrest in Ferguson could receive some reimbursement so they are able to provide security for the residents and businesses in their own communities and also provide assistance to surrounding communities if needed. The DOJ’s announcement this week awarding the Missouri Department of Public Safety more than a million dollars in federal grants will give much-needed support to our responding law enforcement community, allowing them to continue their hard work to keep Missourians safe.”

Blunt sent a letter to then-Attorney General Eric Holder in August 2014, urging the Department of Justice to provide critical resources to assist state and local law enforcement agencies that responded to the civil unrest impacting the community of Ferguson, Mo. Blunt also held a series of listening sessions with state and local law enforcement officials across Missouri last fall to discuss resources, current policies in place, and the challenges they face. Blunt is a founding member and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Law Enforcement Caucus.

In December 2014, Blunt met with the co-chairs of the Ferguson Commission, Rich McClure and Reverend Starsky Wilson to talk about the efforts underway to help the Ferguson community rebuild. He continues to meet with them and others focused on these important issues.

The fiscal year 2016 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill also includes new provisions to support flexible solutions for Ferguson and other communities across the country facing periods of civil unrest. This includes programs and resources in the Departments of Labor and Education and AmeriCorps. The bill passed the subcommittee that Blunt chairs and the full committee, and awaits a vote on the Senate floor.