The state of Georgia will receive over $6.7 million dollars in in the form of 63 grants to the Law Enforcement Training Grant Program, which aims to provide essential training for state and local law enforcement officers.

Governor Brian Kemp and Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Executive Director Jay Neal made the announcement on May 26 in Atlanta.

The announcement comes a year after the lawmakers approved of Kem’s recommendation for the creation of a grant program for law enforcement training in the 2020 legislative session. The grant program was intended to raise money for resources to boost public safety and training and would be facilitated by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

Gov. Kemp announced, “We are committed to giving law enforcement officers across the state specialized training and resources needed to provide the best possible public safety to Georgia’s citizens. This grant program will help pay for essential training – including in use of force and de-escalation – for state and local law enforcement officers and give them the tools they need to keep our communities safe.”

CJCC Director Jay Neal described the program as a team effort.

“Governor Kemp and the Georgia legislature have made it a priority to provide our law enforcement officers with the training and resources they need to better serve the people of Georgia, and we at CJCC are pleased to be a part of this effort,” he said.

Beginning on June 1, money from the grants are awarded to a long list of local law enforcement agencies across the state, and are issued to the city or county government that agency belongs to.