Washington, D.C. — The American Samoa Department of Public Safety is set to receive $470,821 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

This State Electronic Data Collections (SEDC) crash data grant will support the Island Wide Traffic Safety Information System (ITSIS).

NHTSA notified intention of these grants early in 2024 to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and sharing of data on crashes and fatalities, including pedestrians, cyclists and others. The SEDC program was authorized by Congress and is a directive of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), officially the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and this specific grant is under DOT funds through current appropriations law.

“I supported this bill when it was under consideration, and in the years since we’ve had numerous local funding announcements tied to the IIJA,” said Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata. “Thank you to DOT and NHTSA, congratulations to our public safety community, especially Commissioner of Public Safety Lefiti Falelaulii Pese, and thank you to everyone working on this and other programs, and fulfilling expectations so that grant applications are delivered.”

DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM

The American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) led by Director Mariana Timu-Faiai will receive a grant of $100,036 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The formula grant funds are for the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention program, with four years remaining in the project period.

“Thank you to Director Faiai once again and the Criminal Justice Planning Agency for their work on both the funding and the programs themselves,” the Congresswoman said. “I trust this support will help some of our youth in need, and thank you to the DOJ for this grant.”

The funds will be used to strengthen the territory's juvenile justice system, in support of the State Advisory Group, providing services for child abuse and neglect programs (including the Manaia Shelter Care Program for abused and neglected children), positive youth development programming, and support for the Juvenile Detention Center. Funds also support personnel responsible for compliance monitoring of the core requirements.