Proactive Enforcement Grant for Gallia County

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, the Gallia County Sheriff's Office will use the grant funds for proactive enforcement to reduce drug trafficking and related crimes. The county has seen a significant increase in criminal activity in recent years due to gangs from Columbus, Ohio and the state of Michigan infiltrating the area. In addition, armed robberies of the elderly for prescription drugs have occurred. Two deputies will be assigned to a drug-specific interdiction unit that will use intelligence-based policing to identify and target high crime areas. The goals and objectives of the project are to increase felony arrests by 20 percent and to utilize and share available intelligence information with local probation officers, village police, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and as needed, with the West Virginia State Police.

CA/CF