Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that several New Mexico communities have been awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

"The funding awarded through these grants will help improve the safety of New Mexico residents," Bingaman said.

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety was awarded a $400,000 grant to enhance jurisdiction-wide implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which includes the development and implementation of training for law enforcement personnel responsible for sex offender activities as they relate to SORNA implementation.

Additionally, the following organization/communities were awarded funding through DOJ's Drug Free Communities Support Program, which helps facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts:

• Carlsbad Community Anti-drug/Gang Coalition : $125,000
• Pueblo of Laguna: $125,000
• Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (Las Cruces): $125,000
• San Juan County Partnership, Inc.: $125,000
• TeamBuilders Counseling Services, Inc. (Shiprock): $125,000
• Rio Arriba County: $122,723
• Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. (Bernalillo): $103,095
• Torrance County: $99,283