Three Mississippi universities have received grants from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) towards projects that will improve public safety and strengthen law enforcement in the Southern District of the state.
The DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs awarded the trio of grants to the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Copiah-Lincoln Community College. All three grants are part of the office’s 2024 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants – named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty on February 26, 1988, at 22 years old.
A total of $3 million was awarded to Southern Miss to implement an initiative that will address the digital forensics needs of rural communities, the provision of forensic services, and creation of social media educational tools to assist with law enforcement officer training in digital forensic investigations.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center received $380,000 in funding to enhance the school’s security infrastructure through comprehensive upgrades of its existing CCTV system.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College was awarded $20,000 to fund training for new and existing law enforcement officers.
