Rural Law Enforcement Training and Equipment Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program (Byrne Discretionary Program) helps local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and provides for national support efforts. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 08 Congressional Budget. Funds should be used for purposes recommended by Congress.

The Alaska State Troopers is responsible for supervision of Village Police Officers (VPOs) who respond to basic community policing issues. The goal of the Village Public Safety Program is to enhance public safety services in Alaska's rural communities. The Alaska State Troopers will use the grant funds to train VPOs from communities located in rural Alaska to enhance their abilities to provide emergency response services for fire prevention and suppression, emergency first aid, search and rescue, and rural law enforcement duties. The training provided through this project will help the VPOs to better prepare themselves to respond to life-threatening events while traveling in the rugged environment of rural Alaska.

NCA/NCF