Fort Belknap Detention Center Hiring Initiative

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 3, the Fort Belknap Indian Community will use its award to enhance rural corrections, detention, and jail operations. The Fort Belknap Indian Community faces several problems including a 72 percent unemployment rate, 32 percent poverty rate, and an increase in drug and alcohol-related offenses, vandalism and gang-related activity, disorderly conduct, theft, and violent crime. The funds will hire 28 employees to staff a newly-constructed long-term adult detention facility and the current jail located on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The renovated existing facility will be used to house adult offenders on a short-term basis while the new facility will be used for longer-term detainees. Funds will also pay for costs associated with attending mandatory grant training. The grant will enhance the standard of living for the Fort Belknap Indian Community by improving the operation of the reservation's rural jail facility, increasing overall safety of law enforcement staff, and creating positions that pay a living wage.

CA/CF