Investment reinforces UMass Dartmouth’s commitment to innovation and community safety
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The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Police Department has been awarded $38,832.32 through the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, a competitive funding opportunity administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research (OGR).
The grant will fund the purchase and deployment of four Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) in police cruisers, marking a major step forward in the department’s technological capabilities. These new MDTs will enhance operational efficiency, improve officer safety, and align the department with national best practices in law enforcement technology.
“This investment in mobile data technology will help our officers serve the campus community more effectively,” said John D. Souza, Chief of Police at UMass Dartmouth. “By equipping our cruisers with these tools, we can increase patrol visibility, improve situational awareness, and respond to incidents more efficiently and safely.”
The department anticipates key outcomes, including:
- Increased patrol time and campus visibility through reduced station-based reporting.
- Enhanced officer safety with real-time situational awareness and in-vehicle alerts.
- Greater operational efficiency through field-based reporting and data access.
This initiative underscores UMass Dartmouth’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe, responsive, and technologically advanced campus environment.