Crawford County Law Enforcement Project

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local governments, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The disparate jurisdictions comprising of Crawford County and the city of Van Buren will share the FY 2009 JAG award. The city of Van Buren, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the award to purchase two mobile and two handheld radar units for the city police department. This equipment will be used to reduce the number of speed related crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the city. Crawford County, through the Sheriff's Department, will use their share of the JAG award to purchase four mobile laptop computers, which will be used to access remote database files and share information with adjoining departments and communities. The goal of the Sheriff's Department is to improve communications and access data base information, while keeping deputies in the community and not at the office writing reports.

NCA/NCF