Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $100,000)
The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.
Under category 4, Winnebago County, in conjunction with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, will use the grant award to hire civilian staff into law enforcement agencies. The goal of the project is to hire a full-time civilian evidence technician to shift appropriate workload within the Detective Division from sworn personnel to civilian personnel. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office currently utilizes a detective position as an evidence technician. Due to budget cuts, the detective has been assigned as a part time evidence technician and part-time investigator; therefore, some follow-up investigations are assigned to the Patrol Division because of the lack of available detectives. Winnebago County, along with the Sheriff's Department, will use the funds to hire an evidence technician. The detective position that was utilized as an evidence technician will then assume the follow-up investigations that were assigned to patrol officers. This grant will also fund travel to mandated Department of Justice meetings.
CA/NCF