MacArthur Announces Nearly $500,000 for Brick to Support School Safety Efforts

Toms River, New Jersey—Today Congressman Tom MacArthur announced $469,000 in grant funding for the Township of Brick to assist with ongoing efforts to improve school safety measures. The money was awarded through the COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, a bipartisan bill cosponsored by Rep. MacArthur. These grants enhance school safety measures and increase collaboration between schools and law enforcement.

“This investment in the Brick community will improve safety, security, and prevention measures at schools, as well as foster coordination between our law enforcement officers and students and teachers. Following the horrific shooting in Parkland, Florida, I met with local South Jersey law enforcement officials, students, and advocates to listen about their concerns and ways the federal government can make schools safer,” said Congressman MacArthur. “The STOP School Violence Act provides funding to schools to implement security enhancements, improves training and assistance for students and staff to better identify and prevent signs of violence, and aligns school and law enforcement efforts—all important steps to make schools more secure and to provide teachers, students, and law enforcement with the knowledge and skills to create a safer school environment. From the start, I have been adamant that the federal government disperses these grants as quickly as possible and I am glad Brick and communities across the nation received this funding to support their students and schools. We must continue to do all we can to keep our kids safe.”

This week, Congressman MacArthur sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urging her and members of the Federal Commission on School Safety to create a central authority to better coordinate federal efforts to assist school districts. You can read the letter here. 

Background on Congressman MacArthur’s actions on school safety:

• Congressman Tom MacArthur met with a group of students in Toms River and discussed school safety.
• Congressman Tom MacArthur held a meeting to discuss community safety in Stafford Township. The meeting was attended by Mayor John Spodofora, Police Chief Tom Dellane, Captain Herman Pharo, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Meghan Corrigan, Charlene Hoverter – Barnegat resident who is Survivor Engagement Lead and Fellow for Everytown for Gun Safety and a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and Randy Campoli who is a local business owner, NRA member, and hunter.
• Congressman MacArthur joined 19 other Congressmen in urging Speaker Paul Ryan to hold a vote on the Fix NICS Act.
• Congressman MacArthur cosponsored a group of bipartisan bills, endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police, which will improve safety in schools and communities across South Jersey and the entire country.
• Congressman MacArthur joined colleagues on a bipartisan letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging him to expedite implementation of the STOP School Violence Act and other school security grant programs authorized and funded by Congress.
• Congressman MacArthur urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to release the findings of the comprehensive review of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and also issue guidance to states on ways to improve the background check process, to ensure that there is an acceptable minimum standard across the nation.
• Congressman MacArthur also released a safer communities plan containing immediate steps that can be taken by the federal government to make our communities safer.

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