Fayette County Municipal Law Enforcement and County Sheriff's Evidence Processing and Training Center

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 city of Mount Hope, in conjunction with the Mount Hope Police Department (MHPD), will develop and operate an evidence processing and training center to assist all of the municipal law enforcement agencies of Fayette County as well as the Sheriff's Department. MHPD's goals are to reduce drug and property crimes county-wide by improving evidence detection, collection, and processing. The goals will be accomplished by utilizing a multi-faceted approach focused on an intensive training program coupled with providing equipment to officers in the field and full-time laboratory support and assistance.

CA/CF