Recovery Act Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) solicits applications for initiatives which assist law enforcement in rural states and rural areas. The program helps rural states and rural areas to prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs.

The Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs Program, administered by BJA, helps rural states and rural areas prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs. In addition, priority consideration will be given to local law enforcement agencies in rural areas where the unit of local government is not eligible to receive a direct allocation from the Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program or received a direct allocation that was $50,000 or less. Applicants were invited to submit a proposal under any one of the following categories to: (1) combat rural crime; (2) improve rural law enforcement investigations; (3) enhance rural detention and jail operations; (4) facilitate rural justice information sharing; or (5) develop a national training and technical assistance program.

Under Category 2, Lawrence County will utilize its award to address and reduce drug trafficking within the county. Lawrence County is a rural area with a population of less than 50,000. The primary means of support is agriculture. The Tennessee River provides the northern boundary for the county, while the southern third of the county comprises the William B. Bankhead National Forest - a natural habitat for marijuana cultivations and operations. The rural nature of Lawrence County also provides for a perfect cover for methamphetamine manufacturing and other large-scale drug trafficking organizations. This has been shown by several arrests of methamphetamine operators and marijuana and cocaine dealers.

With the increased amounts of drug-related crime, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force has seen a large increase in drug activity. The task force will utilize grant funds to hire additional agents whose sole duty will be drug crime investigations and assisting other county agencies with drug investigations. Grant funds will cover personnel costs (salary, fringe, and overtime costs for two agents and an Assistant District Attorney to prosecute drug cases); OJP mandatory travel; operating expenses (vehicle fuel and maintenance and phones); and equipment (drug evidence tracking system, two police vehicles, and a forensic evidence locker.)

CA/CF