City of West Frankfort Anti-Drug and Crime 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 2, the city of West Frankfort will use the award to support coordinated drug and criminal investigations conducted by the West Frankfort Police Department (WFPD) in order to address the sale of illicit drugs and crimes relating to the sale of illicit drugs. The resulting arrests will disrupt the flow of drugs into the area, cutting the criminal activity. The overall goals of the program include: 1) maintaining current staffing levels of 14 police officers by funding two officers' salaries and benefits; 2) maintaining essential police services without disruption; and 3) working with the community to prevent crime and address juvenile crime.

CA/CF