August 16, 1999
Web posted at: 10:25 p.m. EDT (0225 GMT)

From staff and wire reports

(CNN) -- At a White House ceremony Tuesday, federal officials are expected to announce the approval of $15 million in grants to help local law enforcement authorities attack school-related violence, according to Justice Department sources.

The funds will go to about 200 communities in which police agencies have "partnered" with a primary or secondary school to target a specific problem of crime or violence in and around the schools.

The problems include gang-member recruiting at schools, drug-dealing on school campuses, assaults and truancy.

Officials say much of the funding will be used for technical assistance, such as crime mapping, where computers and statistical analyses help police pinpoint where and when school-related crimes are most likely to occur.

Additional funds will help pay overtime for police officers working on school-related crime.

This is the second year the Justice Department-administered COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) program has provided communities with funds. About $15 million was also granted last year.

CNN's Terry Frieden contributed to this report.