NORTHAMPTON, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office has been awarded a $60,000 grant through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program. The $60,000 award will support several critical public safety initiatives, including proactive investigations, technology to preserve evidence, domestic violence training, emergency medical training, and a public awareness campaign. 

From the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office:

Northwestern DA’s Office Awarded $60,000 for Violence Prevention

NORTHAMPTON — The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office (NWDAO) has been awarded a $60,000 grant

through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.

Administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research, the grant assists with a wide range of public safety efforts, from officer training and community-based violence prevention programs to technology upgrades and forensic improvements. The $60,000 awarded to the

NWDAO will support several critical public safety initiatives, including:

• Proactive Investigations: The Massachusetts State Police Hampshire/Franklin Detective Unit and the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force (NDATF), in partnership with NWDAO prosecutors, will continue proactive efforts to identify and disrupt online criminal activity involving exploitation of minors and vulnerable adults.

• Technology & Evidence Management: NDATF will acquire secure storage equipment to preserve seized mobile devices during long-term digital investigations.

• Domestic Violence & Coercive Control Training: NWDAO will train law enforcement on recognizing and responding to reports of coercive control and other non-physical abuse in intimate partner relationships.

• Emergency Medical Professional Training: Funding will support training for emergency medical personnel on intimate partner violence and non-fatal strangulation.

• Public Awareness Campaign: NWDAO will develop and distribute intimate partner violence awareness posters on local bus routes ensuring that victims and survivors have access to resources and support information in the community.

District Attorney David E. Sullivan stated, “Online exploitation and domestic violence occur at an alarming rate, often out of public view and behind closed doors. This funding is critical to our efforts to address these serious issues and strengthen the community safety net for our most vulnerable residents.”

The NWDAO serves Hampshire and Franklin counties and the Town of Athol, working to ensure public safety through prosecution, prevention, and community partnership.