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<p>Luzerne County will receive nearly $250,000 for a new gun violence reduction initiative, state Sen. John Yudichak announced Friday.</p><p>The $249,338 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant will help fund creation of a Gun Violence Reduction Task force and conduct &#8220;trigger lock operations&#8221; in which police regularly concentrate on small, high-crime areas, according to the release from Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township.</p><p>&#8220;As communities across northeastern Pennsylvania continue to be impacted by gun violence, we must invest in tools that will help them keep residents safe,&#8221; Yudichak said in the release. &#8220;Through the implementation of a Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, Luzerne County will have more resources available to help communities address the threat of gun violence.&#8221;</p><p>County Manager C. David Pedri said the county district attorney&#8217;s office initiated the gun violence reduction plans. He thanked state legislators and officials for providing the funding, saying the county&#8217;s top priority is &#8220;keeping our communities safe.&#8221;</p><p>District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said Friday she will issue a detailed explanation of the initiative once she receives an official grant award letter from the state.</p><p>The county also received a $111,878 grant from the state commission to expand child abuse services, Yudichak said.</p><p>The commission awarded another $97,050 to the Domestic Violence Service Center in Luzerne County for program services, he said. </p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_luzcocourthouse01-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County receives funding for gun violence task force