PROVIDENCE – A new round of funding from the 2024 appropriations bills is coming to several state agencies, local police departments and nonprofits to make technology improvements to crime fighting efforts, the R.I. congressional delegation announced.
Among these is $667,596 for the R.I. Department of Public Safety Grant Administration Office to improve technology infrastructure for the R.I. State Police to replace fingerprinting devices. Funding will also be used to help reduce the backlog of digital data, update court dispositions and sync data in the statewide system for no-contact orders in the judicial internal case management system.
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Other initiatives include $351,128 for the R.I. Department of Public Safety to “crack down on cyber abuse and exploitation,” according to a news release from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and support for additional employees “to keep up with the demand of investigative and forensic analysis, continued specialized training in emerging investigative techniques, and updated forensic software and hardware, as well as continued targeted educational campaigns for local communities on internet safety and online child victimization.”
Another $294,696 was secured for the Department of Public Safety to bolster training and efficiency for the state’s forensic analysis at the medical examiner’s office.
Combined, these initiatives “will enhance public safety, reduce crime, and strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” Reed said.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
