PRINCETON: $12,000 of U.S. justice grant may reach boro

By Lauren Otis, Staff Writer
   Nearly $48 million in federal justice assistance grants has been allocated to New Jersey and Princeton Borough’s piece is $12,162.
   The grants are made by the U.S. Department of Justice for use in law enforcement, prosecution, court programs, prevention and education programs, corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, technology improvement, and victim and witness assistance.
   Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the state attorney general’s office, said the federal allocations were made based on population and violent crime statistics in the various municipalities that received them.
   The state attorney general’s office will be responsible for allocating about $30 million of the $48 million in New Jersey. The remaining $18 million is allocated directly by the U.S. Justice Department to local jurisdictions, such as the $12,162 Princeton Borough allocation, according to a news release from Gov. Jon Corzine.
   Princeton Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi said the grant to the borough was something of a mystery. Mr. Bruschi said he could not find any department that had applied for such assistance.
   Mr. Aseltine said the explanation for this is that the allocations were a notice of grant funds available, but not an actual distribution of grant funds. “Princeton Borough has an opportunity to apply for that much money,” he said of the $12,162 amount.
   Princeton Borough, like other municipalities, would have to present a proposal for the productive use of the funds before receiving them, Mr. Aseltine said.
   Mr. Aseltine said he did not believe the federal solicitation guidelines for municipalities to formally apply for the grant allocations were out yet.