PRESS RELEASE

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today approved seven grant requests totaling $1,007,673 to local law enforcement agencies to fund programs designed to thwart the operation of illegal slot machines in the Commonwealth.

This was the second round of approvals by the Board under a $5 million annual grant program developed and approved by the Legislature as part of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. The funding is drawn from revenues generated from licensed slot machine facilities.

The law enforcement organizations that were approved for grants today were:

• Allegheny County Police Department – $160,568
• Armstrong County District Attorney – $41,278
• Erie County District Attorney – $199,698
• Lebanon County District Attorney – $140,000
• Montgomery County District Attorney – $250,000
• Pittsburgh Bureau of Police – $181,129
• Susquehanna County District Attorney – $35,000

A total of $1,785,818 in grants has now been awarded to local law enforcement agencies.

The grants, which are to be used to enforce and prevent the unlawful operation of slot machines in this Commonwealth, can be utilized for three distinct reasons:

1. Identification, Prevention and Deterrence: Grants may be awarded for the purpose of attending education and training events sponsored by authoritative agencies for the purpose of training officers, investigators or attorneys in techniques appropriate to the enforcement and prevention of the operation of unlawful slot machines in the Commonwealth. Grants may be awarded to conduct programs utilizing proven methods to attain deterrence or prevention of the illegal use of slot machines.
2. Prevention, Enforcement, Investigation and Prosecution: Grants may be awarded to defray costs related to assigning officers or investigators to prevent, deter, enforce or investigate the illegal use of slot machines. Grants may be awarded to defray the cost of prosecuting crimes involving the illegal use of slot machines.
3. Other Prevention and Enforcement Programs: Other programs that address prevention and enforcement of the use of illegal slot machines in the Commonwealth may be proposed.

Local law enforcement agencies are encouraged to apply for these grants which will be awarded to eligible applicants until funding is exhausted. A maximum of $250,000 can be sought by any single organization.

Information and applications are available on the PGCB website, www.pgcb.state.pa.us.

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