Mass. DA's Get Grants To Prosecute Child Predators

Two Massachusetts district attorney's offices have been awarded grants totaling nearly $1 million to fund programs aimed at capturing and prosecuting child sexual predators.

Over the next two years, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office will receive $500,000, while the Northwestern District Attorney's Office will receive $493,000.

The grants were awarded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Bernard Melekian, the COPS office director, said agencies who received the grants have developed aggressive strategies to fight crimes against children.

The Massachusetts district attorneys plan to use the money to update forensic equipment, enhance training and pay for overtime for officers investigating crimes against children.