BUTLER, PA – Lt. Gov. Austin Davis continued his tour of Pennsylvania communities that are making strategic investments and working collaboratively to improve safety with a stop today in Butler County, where the local district attorney’s office is receiving nearly $900,000 in funding from the Shapiro-Davis Administration to address gun violence.
“Across the Commonwealth, we’re making communities safer – gun violence is down statewide, thanks to the good work of state and local law enforcement, as well as community-based violence prevention organizations,” said Davis, who leads the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). “However, there is much more work to be done. Gun violence isn’t just a Philadelphia or Pittsburgh problem – it’s a Pennsylvania problem, and it’s uniquely an American problem. But it’s a problem we can, and must, do something about.”
PCCD recently approved $45 million in Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grants. This program supports a wide range of models focused on reducing community violence and relies on groups and organizations that are most in tune with specific local needs. The Butler County District Attorney’s office is receiving $892,694 to continue and enhance their Butler County Gun Investigation Program and other public safety efforts.
“This grant will certainly assist us in alleviating some of the violent crimes that we have seen an uptick in Butler County in the last few years,” said District Attorney Richard Goldinger.
“Gun violence is everyone’s problem and everyone’s responsibility to ensure that even their legal firearms do not fall into the hands of criminals and those with malicious intent,” said Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel. “I’m particularly pleased that our district attorney holds individuals accountable and that PCCD is available to assist with this responsibility. Thank you to Lieutenant Governor Davis for your support of all counties with this endeavor to make safer communities.”
In recent weeks, the Lieutenant Governor has traveled the Commonwealth to hear firsthand from VIP grantees about how they are making their communities safer.
- In Bradford County, Davis visited Supporting Area Families Everyday (SAFE), which is using VIP grant funding to expand its supervised visitation and parent education program. At the event, state Rep. Tina Pickett gave an impassioned endorsement for SAFE’s work.
- In Erie, Davis heard from law enforcement leaders, who are using a VIP grant to support the police department’s juvenile unit and crisis car. State Sen. Dan Laughlin joined Davis at the event, saying, “These grants demonstrate the power of collaboration between law enforcement, schools, community organizations and local leaders to address challenges and build a stronger foundation for the future.”
- In Reading, Davis highlighted how the Reading Hospital is using VIP grant funding to expand and enhance its hospital-based violence intervention program (HVIP).
The proposed 2025-26 budget includes a $10 million increase for the VIP program, as well as $10 million more for the Building Opportunity through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) initiative, which provides funding for afterschool programs that help keep kids safe and give them enrichment opportunities.
Kid’s Innovation Playground in Butler County recently received a BOOST grant award for $13,360 to create a Lego Robotics Team for middle-school students, giving youth in rural western Pennsylvania the opportunity to explore their talents and potential career paths.
During the most recent grant round, solicitations for the VIP, BOOST and Collaborative Community Violence Intervention (CCVI) programs received an overwhelming response with 478 applications submitted requesting more than $174 million — more than three times the current allocation of $56.5 million in funding.