Area police departments sharing grant money

WASHINGTON — Law enforcement agencies in Lake, DuPage and Kane counties are among police departments awarded nearly $5.2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Edward Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, named after a police officer killed on duty, will be used to purchase computers and other equipment, patrol cars and help fund specialized training.

A news release from Sen. Dick Durbin’s office says Chicago is receiving more than $4 million of the grant money. The release says the money will be spent on police cruisers, substance abuse treatment programs and the expansion of the department’s community policing efforts.

The other communities where agencies are receiving grant money are Aurora, Bloomington, Bolingbrook, Carbondale, Champaign, Danville, Decatur, Edwardsville, Galesburg, Joliet, Kankakee, Marion, Naperville, Peoria, Quincy, Rockford, Sycamore and Waukegan.