Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said this week that with the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, law enforcement agencies in the state get $35.2 million in grants, of which $356,000 will be shared by several law enforcement groups in St. Tammany Parish.

The grants, called Justice Assistant Grant, go to a myriad of justice programs, including police, sheriff, prosecutors and corrections, and they help fund projects for technical assistance training, personnel, equipment, supplies and criminal justice information systems.

The St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office will get the lion’s share of the JAG grant money with $223,000. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. George Bonnett said the money will mainly go to buying 300 protective vests for the deputies. He said the money is welcome, because a single vest costs around $700, and being able to buy over 300 will go a long way in keeping deputies safe.

The Slidell Police Department will receive $82,761 in JAG money. Capt. Kevin Foltz, Slidell police spokesman, said the majority of the grant would go to updating the department’s technology, such as putting computers in every patrol car.

He said the department is glad to get the money considering it got $17,000 in JAG money two years ago and nothing in 2008.

Also sharing in JAG money is the Covington Police Department, which will be able to use $28,395 in grant money for equipment and personnel, and the Mandeville Police Department, which will be able to use $22,162 for equipment and technical assistance.

Landrieu said Louisiana police departments and sheriff’s offices are under a double load of a downturn in the economy, and a lot of departments are still trying to get out from under the financial struggles as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike.

“Today Louisiana experiences first-hand an immediate benefit of the economic recovery legislation that Congress enacted last month,” Landrieu said.