Lexington Redeployment Project

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, the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, in conjunction with the Division of Community Development, will use the grant award to hire civilian law enforcement staff. The goal of this project is to hire staff devoted to pursuing cases requiring investigative and forensics expertise such as violent crime cases, including gun crime and child exploitation cases. In order to accomplish these goals, the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government and the Division of Community Development will hire two non-sworn employees. A civilian Ballistic Crime Scene Technician will help reduce gun crime by submitting all recovered crime guns, bullets, and ammunition casing and all other ballistic evidence into the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network. A civilian Computer Forensics Investigator will assist in identifying and locating criminals by uncovering evidence concealed on computer hard drives that may have otherwise gone undetected. The coordination plan for this project will include the Division of Police and federal agency partners including the U.S. Attorney's Office, ATF, FBI, DEA, ICE, federal prosecutors, and the U.S. Secret Service. Remaining funds will go towards the hardware and software equipment and training needed for the new employees. This project supports the Recovery Act by creating to new jobs to stimulate the economy.

CA/NCF