Almost unnoticed in the recent press of events, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made an announcement last week that, in response to the recently concluded congressional deal that pared $780 from the federal budget, Homeland Security would be cutting $170 million from its Urban Areas Security Initiative program.
In practical terms, that means that both Memphis and Nashville are slated to lose millions in grant money that had been used to upgrade technology and training over the last seven years, during which the two Tennessee citiers had received some $40 million between them.
Last year Memphis’ share was $4.1 million, Nashville’s $2.8 million.
The money had been allocated for such purposes as enhancing communication capabilities among police, fire and other emergency officials providing bomb squads with new equipment and training; and even funding the training of bomb-sniffing dogs.
