Hometown Security Teams (3 Teams)

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 Michigan Department of State Police will use its award to coordinate a statewide highway criminal enforcement initiative, intercept and deter transportation of contraband on our highways, enhance homeland security efforts at our international borders and critical infrastructure, provide a mobile response team for emergency situations, gather intelligence information to further criminal investigations and deter criminal activity, and provide a traffic enforcement component to gain compliance with the Motor Vehicle Code to ensure safe driving and safe vehicles.

The Michigan Department of State Police will use the funds to achieve these goals by hiring and training 15 troopers and three sergeants. The funds will also be spent on equipment and resources necessary to achieve these program objectives: the seizure of drugs and drug paraphernalia, recovery of stolen property, seize/forfeiture of real property and cash, arrests and convictions of criminals, measurement of enforcement contacts, interruption of drug transportation, and development of major cases involving criminal enterprise.

CA/NCF