Brockton mayor fears crime will rise if grant is cut

By Mike Underwood, Enterprise staff writer

BROCKTON — City officials fear youth crime could skyrocket if a “vital” state-funded program is axed.

“I just cannot begin to tell you the importance of this grant. If we lose it, I feel there will be a rise in crime in Brockton in the long term,” said Mayor James E. Harrington after learning the statewide Shannon Community Safety Initiative could be scrapped by the governor's office.

The $680,000 Shannon grant, given to the city last September, has funded several youth crime prevention programs and bankrolled police overtime so cops could target the city's most violent offenders.

But Gov. Deval Patrick has not included the grant in his latest budget proposal, instead focusing on a $30 million statewide program to boost police numbers in the most crime-hit towns and cities.

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