The Evanston Police Department is one of a dozen law enforcement agencies in northern Illinois scheduled to receive federal funds to combat gangs.
Evanston will receive $26,827.16 to use toward the purchase of surveillance equipment, including cameras, night vision devices and radio earplugs.
More than $570,000 in federal funds will be awarded under the anti-gang initiative unveiled in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The initiative seeks to encourage prevention programs to provide young people and offenders returning to the community with opportunities that help them resist gang involvement and to ensure robust enforcement policies when gang-related violence does occur.
The cornerstone of the Justice Department program is an expansion of the successful Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which is a comprehensive approach to reducing gun crime in America.
Other area agencies receiving funds under the program include the Aurora, Carpentersville, Chicago, Palatine and Waukegan police departments, the DuPage, Kane, Lake and Winnebago county sheriff’s departments, and the state’s attorney’s offices in Cook and Lake counties.