Bizzarro: More than $1 million awarded for public safety and victim efforts
Significant state investment will help local experts with community efforts
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro December 13, 2024 | 1:12 PM
ERIE, Dec. 1 – Money to support public safety, victims of crime and child advocacy centers is on the way to a handful of organizations in Erie County, a move applauded by Rep. Ryan Bizzarro.
“My career of public service started as a victim/witness coordinator and advocate for the Office of the Erie County District Attorney and the Crime Victim Center,” said Bizzarro. “I’ve seen what these dollars can do for people. We can’t always stop crime before it happens, nor make people whole in its aftermath, but these dollars will be used for import efforts to make our community safer and help people in need.”
The funding announcement from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency includes:
- $257,300 for the Erie Crime Victim Center of Erie County to help their mission of helping crime victims and witnesses, including their family and friends.
- $447,000 for Erie Children's Advocacy Centers (CAC) of PA, which will be used for their continuing protection of local youth in need. The CAC was also awarded $49,127 for mental health training for their staff.
- $449,715 to Erie County’s Adult Probation and Parole Department to help with their community-based supervision and programs
The money for Erie County was part of a larger $40 million announcement for similar programs and organizations in other Pennsylvania counties.
“Investing in victim services is essential to supporting survivors and strengthening our communities, and today’s actions by the Commission demonstrate our commitment to justice, dignity, and resilience,” said Mike Pennington, PCCD Executive Director in a release announcing the funding. “As we close out 2024, I am proud of our collective efforts to make Pennsylvania’s communities safer, including through the millions of dollars in funding we’ve invested in Pennsylvania’s juvenile and criminal justice systems, victims’ services, school safety, community organizations, and beyond.”
Bizzarro continues to be a champion for Erie County, steering state money to properly fund Erie schools, workforce development, nonprofits, first responders, public works, utilities and local businesses in his district and Erie County. Since 2023, Bizzarro helped secure more than $92 million in funding for Erie County projects.