Ayotte Welcomes DOJ grants to NH for Forensic Crime Lab, Byrne Jag Program

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte today welcomed the award of several U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grants to strengthen New Hampshire's efforts to help turn the tide in the fight against the opioid abuse epidemic, including the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants Program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program. Ayotte has been a consistent, vocal advocate for the programs.

"The work done at the crime lab is critical to supporting New Hampshire's law enforcement agencies as they investigate crime and bring criminals to justice throughout the state, and I am very glad that DOJ responded to my calls to further assist this important resource," said Senator Ayotte.

In response to October 2015 reports that the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory was facing an overwhelming backlog of drug samples to process, Ayotte called on DOJ to work closely with the lab to reduce the backlog. DOJ has awarded the New Hampshire Department of Justice a Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants Program grant of $284,747 to support the work of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the State Police Forensic Laboratory. Ayotte is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants program. The legislation passed the Senate in June 2016.

In the Senate, Ayotte has also been a consistent and strong advocate for the Byrne JAG Program. She authored legislation to reauthorize the Byrne JAG program, the bipartisan Heroin and Prescription Opioid Abuse Prevention, Education, and Enforcement Act. Earlier this year, she called on the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide strong support for the program in the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Because of her request, the Senate Appropriations Committee included $384 million for this program, which is an $8 million increase over FY 2016.

"Sufficient funding for the Byrne JAG Program is critical in helping to ensure the safety of our first responders and the public by augmenting the crime-fighting efforts of local law enforcement. I am pleased that New Hampshire law enforcement will receive Byrne JAG funding to further enhance their ongoing and tireless work to keep our communities safe, particularly as they serve as a critical partner in a comprehensive response to the opioid abuse epidemic," Ayotte continued.

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