A pair of federal grants worth nearly $575,000 will help the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office prosecute domestic violence cases and equip deputies.
The largest grant — $499,794 over two years — will provide the agency with two investigators who will focus only on domestic violence cases. Also, the Pinal County Attorney’s Office will have a a part-time prosecutor assisting those investigators.
In addition, some money will be given to domestic violence coalitions in San Manuel and Casa Grande.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women provided the grant. The county attorney’s office put in $5,000 to help secure the grant.
"I know the money will help us and the domestic violence coalitions get a handle on this terrible crime," said Pinal County Supervisor Lionel Ruiz, D-District 1 of Dudleyville.
Another grant from the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program for $73,603 will allow the sheriff’s office to purchase safety equipment, including Tasers, stop sticks and portable breath tests. Now, every field officer will have a nonlethal Taser, Sheriff Chris Vasquez said.
