Money to combat gangs in Lackawanna County among appropriations pending in House

Jul. 13—Lackawanna County would receive $2 million for a targeted effort to counter growing gang and gun violence under legislation moving through the U.S. House of Representatives.

The funding for the county's proposed Gun and Gang Reduction Intelligence Project, or GGRIP, is part of more than $11 million sought by U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright for six public safety and economic and social recovery initiatives in a pair of appropriations bills that received subcommittee approval Monday.

The bills are expected to reach the House floor for a vote later this month, Cartwright, D-8, Moosic, said.

The county envisions GGRIP as a multifaceted approach to combating violent drug, gang and gun activity.

The project will provide for the hiring of additional law enforcement and legal staff to expand existing anti-gang efforts and increase collaboration among various partner agencies. It would also allow for the purchase of more resources and technology.

In addition, GGRIP would work to raise public awareness, decrease negative perceptions of law enforcement and bolster community engagement through educational efforts and participation in public events.

In a statement, District Attorney Mark Powell said GGRIP will help turn the tide in what he described as a war between law enforcement and street gangs that peddle drugs and use illegal weapons.

"These gangs have become increasingly sophisticated, and our law enforcement agencies are in dire need of federal assistance to stay one step ahead of them, investigate and interrupt their networks, and put these bad actors behind bars," Powell said.

Another $2 million appropriation would go for equipment and technology at the Lackawanna College Center for Technology Innovation, a technical and vocational education center planned for the former Montage Foods building near Memorial Stadium on Providence Road in Scranton.

The center, which the school hopes to open in the fall of 2022, will be focused on building a workforce and jobs for the future, said Jill Murray, Ph.D., Lackawanna College president.

The center will offer programs in robotics and automation, electric vehicle and battery technology, cybersecurity and information technology, smart building design and augmented reality/virtual reality.

"We think there is a new collar job that has emerged," Murray said. "This is not a blue-collar job. It's not a white-collar job. It's a digital collar for a digital economy. This is a different level."

YMCAs across Northeast Pennsylvania would share in $1,850,000 to contract with organizations in their communities to provide mental health and substance abuse support services.

The funding would also support the hiring of specialized staff to offer added therapy services focused on prevention and treatment of mental health disorders and drug, tobacco and alcohol use among children.

The Greater Scranton YMCA would administer the funding as the lead agency in the collaborative, which also includes YMCAs in Carbondale, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Freeland and Wayne County, said Trish Fisher, president and CEO of the Greater Scranton facility.

"These services are very much needed, especially post-COVID," Fisher said.

Other regional projects that would be in line for funding, according to Cartwright's office:

Wayne County: $2 million for the county's Recovery to Work Initiative. The funding would go toward the creation of a regional hub for treatment and rehabilitation of individuals struggling with addiction and behavioral health challenges, integrating those services with housing, career training and job placement at a facility in Honesdale.

Wilkes-Barre: $2.1 million for the Community Policing Technology and Equipment Initiative. The city's Police Department would use the funding to buy new Tasers and dash cameras, along with a gunshot detection, location and forensic system.

Hazleton Integration Project (HIP): $1,150,000 to combat food insecurity in the Hazleton area. HIP would use the money for a STEAM-based education model to equip students with the tools to engage an increasingly complex, technology-driven world.

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9132.