Harford County, where the number of homicides more than tripled last year, received $200,000 from the state to go toward crime prevention.
The biggest chunk of the money, nearly $76,000, will finance an additional county state?s attorney.
The remainder will be spent on fighting crime in Edgewood, adding a third crime analyst, funding substance-abuse centers, forming a group of police officers to monitor probation, and continuing after-school programs for students deemed “at risk” of committing crimes.
The grant money is designed to increase cooperation between different means of crime control under a program called the Collaborative Supervision and Focused Enforcement Initiative.
“Law enforcement can?t do this alone, the state?s attorney can?t do this alone, the health department can?t do this alone,” Sheriff Jesse Bane said. “And the nice thing about this is that it brings our components together.”
The infusion of funds to fight crime comes after Harford County homicides more than tripled last year, to nine from two the previous year. But law enforcement officials say they don?t believe the jump indicates a trend.
The additional crime analyst will allow one analyst to oversee a new ComStat program patterned after the Baltimore model to follow crime trends.
More information
State grants to Harford?s law enforcement system
» $76,956 for another state?s attorney
» $53,710 for crime analyst
» $35,200 for substance abuse treatment
» $20,000 for monitoring probation
» $16,000 for after-school programs
» $201,866 total
