FY 2009 Justice Assistance Grant Program

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 consisting of the city of Missoula and Missoula County will use their Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award in the amount of $45,485 for support personnel, training, and overtime. The city of Missoula, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant for officers to attend the drug diversion conference, training, and officer overtime for prescription drug diversion investigative assignments and prescription drug take back/destruction promotions. Missoula County will use their share of the grant for the retention of a part-time Property Clerk. This position performs a variety of support work receiving, storing, and disposing of physical criminal evidence and found property for the Missoula County Sheriff's Department. Additional duties include cataloging, documenting, and storing evidence and other property related to crimes, preserving the chain of custody, testifying in court as to the chain of custody of evidence, preparing reports, affidavits, and other related legal documents related to evidence and the chain of custody of evidence, providing for disposition of items when no longer needed as evidence through court orders, registered letters, phone calls, and newspaper advertisements according to state law, and logging and documenting proper information for received property items. The goals of this project are to enhance each agency's ability to provide efficient, safe public safety service to their community and decrease the instances of prescription drug abuse.

NCA/NCF