WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology has been awarded a $999,999 Department of Justice (DOJ) grant to help train local law enforcement agencies to tackle drug trafficking.

The grant comes from the fiscal year 2011 spending bill that funds the Department of Justice.  Bingaman wrote a letter of support on behalf of N.M. Tech's application.

N.M. Tech will use the funding to continue to train tribal, state and local law enforcement personal on ways to reduce and prevent criminal drug activities.

"Drug-related criminal activity continues to be a burden on local law enforcement agencies located along the New Mexico-Mexico border.  This funding will provide important support and training to help ensure they are prepared to respond to any situation," Bingaman said.

In 2009, Bingaman helped secure $30 million in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help border-state law enforcement agencies handle border-related crime.

Bingaman also announced that the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs has been awarded a $399,987 DOJ grant to provide training opportunities to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, government agencies, and others in addressing instances of elder abuse.