Alma Police Department Drug and Crime Enforcement 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 1, the Alma Department of Public Safety will use the grant funds to implement a drug and crime enforcement initiative. The department plans to implement a police K-9 unit and become actively involved with the area multijurisdictional drug enforcement team (MAGNET) to reduce the rate of drug-related crimes in the area and deliver the quality of service that citizens deserve and desire. Collaboration efforts will include the police department, MAGNET, Alma College, and Gratiot County area schools. The anticipated outcomes are an increased number of drug related arrests, an increased amount of information sharing through local collaboration and RISS, K9 availability to the area, and stronger partnership with the community. The overall goal is to have a city free from the threat of crime where the police and citizens work together to improve the community.

CA/CF