Enhancing Local Law Enforcement

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Town of Big Stone Gap will manage the 2007 Byrne Discretionary Category One Targeting Violent Crime Initiative award to fund a Task Force comprised of the City of Norton, the Town of Big Stone Gap, and the Counties of Dickenson, Lee, Scott, and Wise. The major problem for the Task Force area is gangs, including the distribution of illegal narcotics in the area. Several of the law enforcement strategies are to record criminal complaints, conduct investigations, execute search warrants, arrest suspects, and maintain a database for intelligence. The grant funds will support: tactical training; efficient processing of crime scenes; overtime for officers to investigate gangs and illegal drug activities; and an office for the Task Force.

CA/CF