What to Know
- The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Justice.
- The $1 million will help offset some costs, such as salary and overtime pay, incurred due to the Feb. 14 shooting.
- Seventeen people, mostly teenage students, were fatally shot.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a $1 million grant to pay salary and overtime expenses of first responders of the Parkland school shooting tragedy.
The state government, Parkland and Broward County spent several millions of dollars in costs including securing crime scenes and operating command centers, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
The funds will "defray some of these costs" incurred during the Feb. 14 shooting in which 17 people, mostly teenage students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, were killed by a gunman.
The grant comes from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, or JAG, Program.
“The school shooting in Parkland shocked and horrified the nation, but the community and law enforcement at all levels have shown resilience and determination,” U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “As I told our state and local partners back in February, the Department of Justice stands ready to help them in any way we can."
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio praised the distribution of funds.
Local
“I applaud the award of these federal funds to the FDLE," Rubio said in a statement. "Countless first responders worked tirelessly to process the crime scene and tend to victims in the aftermath of the Parkland tragedy, putting a great strain on state and local resources. We are truly grateful for their selfless efforts."
