Press Release - Congresswoman Laura Richardson

For Immediate Release
October 6, 2009

Contact: Jeff Billington
(202) 225-7924

Congresswoman Richardson Announces DOJ Grant to Improve Student Safty at Compton Unified School District

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Laura Richardson has announced that Compton Unified School District (CUSD) will receive a $93,867 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for improving school safety.

“In light of recent tragic incidents reported in Chicago and additional violent school attacks in the last few years, the safety of our school-aged children should be a first priority and with this grant, CUSD will be able to enhance and increase programs already in place to protect them as they pursue their education,” Congresswoman Richardson said. “When in school, our children’s only priority should be focusing on learning and achieving a good education, not keeping safe from violence and intimidation. My support for this grant stems from my desire to make sure schools remain places of learning, not scenes of fear and tragedy.”

This COPS grant will be used by CUSD to assist with the funding of school safety resources and the opportunity to establish and enhance a variety of school safety equipment and/or programs. Funding from this program can be used for the placement and use of metal detectors; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; security assessments; security training of personnel and students; coordination with local law enforcement; and any other measure that may provide a significant increase in security.

Congresswoman Richardson is a Democrat from California’s 37^th Congressional District. She is a member of the House Committees on Transportation & Infrastructure and Homeland Security. Her district includes Long Beach, Compton, Carson, Watts, Willowbrooke and Signal Hill.

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