Police Foundation receives $463K to fight violent extremism

In an effort to combat violent extremism, the Boston Police Foundation will receive $463,185 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security.

“In this age of self-radicalization and terrorist-inspired acts of violence, domestic-based efforts to counter violent extremism have become a homeland security imperative,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement Friday.

The BPF is one of 31 organizations across the country that will receive a portion of the $10 million federal grant approved by Congress last year.

The groups include local governments, schools and national nonprofits, including “organizations devoted specifically to countering ISIL’s recruitment efforts in our homeland, and Life After Hate, an organization devoted to the rehabilitation of former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists in this country,” Johnson explained.

“The funding will go for activities that include intervention, developing resilience, challenging the narrative and building capacity,” he added.

The BPF was founded in 1993 and provides financial support and resourcessuch as equipment, training, technology, outreach programs for city youth and more that may not be covered in the Boston Police Department’s annual budget.