SELMA, AL – The U.S. Department of Justice today awarded $1 million to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to help local Selma law enforcement target and reduce crime. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), who has worked closely with the City of Selma, the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama Richard W. Moore, District Attorney Michael Jackson and the U.S. Marshals Service to secure resources to address violence and crime in Selma over the years, praised the announcement.

“As a native of Selma, I am deeply concerned about the rising violent crime rates in my hometown, which is why I have been fighting for years to secure additional federal resources for Selma law enforcement to adequately address this crisis. My hope is that with these extra funds, local law enforcement will have the tools and resources necessary to ensure that our Selma community becomes a safer place to live, work and raise families,” Sewell said. “This funding is critical in enabling local Selma law enforcement to fulfill urgent needs, including additional equipment, training and personnel support to address these public safety issues head-on. I am thankful for U.S. Attorney Moore’s attention and commitment to Selma and I look forward to continuing to work with him and his staff to ensure the Selma-Dallas County community sees a significant and meaningful reduction in crime.”

The funding will be used to hire new officers, increase overtime hours and train and provide equipment for local law enforcement to target violent crime, especially gang-related activity.