Fortuna Police Department Investigations Unit Project

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 Fortuna will use its award to support the Fortuna Police Department (FPD), which is a small department of 15 sworn personnel serving a rural community. Crimes have increased steadily over the recent years, and the staffing shortage affects FPD's ability to police the community. A lack of investigative resources, tools, and equipment necessary to conduct proper investigations also hampers policing efforts. FPD will use the funds to hire two sworn officers, formalize an Investigations Unit and assign two additional sworn officers to it, send the two new detectives to Peace Officer Standars and Training (P.O.S.T.) courses, and provide them with equipment and technology necessary to perform investigations. The funds will also pay for costs associated with attending mandatory grant training.

CA/CF