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| Congressman Hoyer with Prince George’s County Sheriff Michael Jackson |
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) today presented the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office with $200,000 to bolster technology in its Domestic Violence Unit.
The technology will be used to increase the overall productivity of the unit, which will oversee a new Domestic Violence First Responder Pilot Program beginning in March.
The federal funds will purchase computers that allow officers to file paperwork and perform warrant checks from their individual cars.
“These funds will enable the unit to continue providing much-needed and often life-saving protection to some of the most vulnerable members of our community – the women and children who suffer daily from the terror and tragic consequences of domestic violence,” Hoyer said.
Specifically, the technology upgrades and new equipment will allow the unit to increase the number of protective orders served and decrease the time it takes to enter those orders into local, state, and national databases. It will also help to purchase 31 mobile fax machines and 17 mobile computers so the Domestic Violence Unit can adequately equip their vehicles.
“I am extremely grateful to Congressman Hoyer for helping secure these funds,” said Prince George’s County Sheriff Michael Jackson. “This new technology will give us the ability to do everything we now do in the office from our cars. This will result in a decrease in response time and most importantly, an increase in the number of victims aided in seeking relief from abusive partners.”
The Domestic Violence Unit was established in 1993 in response to the increased awareness of these crimes. It was the first such unit in Maryland and has been used as a standard for the creation of similar units throughout the country.