Grant money has flowed into SouthCoast

The funding the state receives through the Homeland Security Grant Program comes to the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and then is distributed based on plans developed by regional councils. Other funding, including port and transit security money, is handled by different agencies with different processes.
According to information from EOPSS, the state received at least $215 million in homeland security funding from federal fiscal year 2004 through federal fiscal year 2010. Massachusetts is set to receive another $20.6 million in federal fiscal year 2011.
The southeast region received about $28.6 million from 2004 through 2010 and is due to get about $1.4 million in 2011; the New Bedford harbor area has also been awarded about $3.3 million in port security money since the attacks.
Locally, the funding has gone to many varied projects, almost all of which benefit multiple municipalities. Among those have been the implementation of a records management system that allows regional law enforcement data sharing, an investment in radio interoperability to address communication gaps and the purchase of various preparedness and response equipment, according to the region’s annual plans.
Port security money has gone towards purchasing a police boat and outfitting a boat for the fire department as well as purchasing and installing a port-wide surveillance camera system, according to Kristin Decas, executive director of the city’s Harbor Development Commission.
September 11, 2011
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