# Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2021

This bill creates a new federal grant program to help state and local law enforcement agencies protect witnesses in criminal cases. Right now, when someone agrees to testify against a dangerous criminal—like a gang member, drug dealer, or organized crime figure—they often face serious threats to their safety and their family's safety. This bill sets up federal funding to help police departments pay for the security measures these witnesses need.

The money from these grants can be used for things like temporary relocation assistance, safe housing, security equipment, protective surveillance, and other safety measures to keep witnesses and their families safe while they cooperate with law enforcement. This is especially important in cases involving violent crime, organized crime, or drug trafficking, where witnesses are at the highest risk of retaliation. Without this protection, many people who have crucial information about crimes might be too afraid to come forward and testify, which makes it harder for prosecutors to convict criminals.

The program essentially recognizes that witness protection is expensive and that local police departments often don't have enough money in their budgets to do it properly on their own. By providing federal grants, the bill helps level the playing field so that a witness in a small town has similar protection options as someone in a big city. This makes the criminal justice system work better overall—when witnesses feel safe enough to testify, more criminals get convicted, and communities become safer.

Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2021

Cardin, Benjamin L.

Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Justice to award competitive matching grants to state, local, and tribal governments to establish or maintain witness protection programs in cases involving (1) a homicide, serious violent felony, or serious drug offense; or (2) gangs or organized crime.