The Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement Office of Homeland Security (OHS) has been awarded a $803,330 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The funding aims to expand current initiatives and implement new measures to prevent targeted violence across the state.
“This award demonstrates a commitment by DHS’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships to help us protect our communities from increasing threats of targeted violence,” said Frank Pace, OHS Administrator.
Targeted violence refers to premeditated violence directed toward a specific individual, group, or location. Perpetrators often select their targets as the result of grievances and may be motivated by various factors including religious ideologies, political beliefs, conspiracy theories, or experiences of bullying.
The newly allocated funding will enhance statewide targeted violence prevention training for nonprofits, public and private schools, and government agencies. Additionally, the grant will support OHS in assisting Guam with developing its targeted violence prevention program.
“The Office of Homeland Security is focused on protecting people by providing the resources they need to identify, assist and most importantly, stop those on a pathway to violence. We can’t just react to targeted violence. We must, as a community, recognize the potential for violence and prevent tragedies before they occur,” Pace stated.
“The Department of Law Enforcement is committed to using all resources at its disposal to protect our residents through effective enforcement and by working with our communities to implement violence prevention strategies,” said Department of Law Enforcement Director Jordan Lowe.
For more information on the statewide Targeted Violence Prevention Strategy and Implementation Plan or becoming a partner in preventing targeted violence in Hawai‘i, visit law.hawaii.gov/ohs or send an email to [email protected].
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