The Lewis County Coroner’s Office will receive a nearly $2,000 federal grant for “a generator and battery for a mass fatality trailer and six scene lights,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell announced Tuesday.
The funding for Lewis County is part of more than $6.9 million law enforcement and tribes throughout Washington will receive to fight fentanyl, gun violence and violence against women. According to the senator, the grants, provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, will help process DNA evidence, prosecute violence against women and children, identify fatal overdoses, ease inmates’ transitions upon release and mitigate the impact of juvenile gun violence.
“Washington state has made tremendous progress over the past decade in nearly eliminating its 30,000 rape kit backlog, but we can’t let up — this funding will help police labs test more DNA samples faster,” Cantwell said in a statement. “These federal resources will also help us better identify fatal drug overdoses, and provide more services to support and protect women in our cities and in tribal communities.”
The Washington State Patrol will receive $473,385 in Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program formula funding for the fiscal year 2024, with the funds divided up across multiple agencies.
As part of the award, the Lewis County Coroner’s Office will receive $1,895.
