City of Independence Police Department 2009 Recovery Act Policing 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 Independence will use its award to create and maintain new positions in the Independence Police Department (IPD), increase public safety through increasing police coverage and investigations, develop inter-agency partnerships by sharing resources, and participate in regional drug task forces. The city of Independence has a population of 1,262 with an increasing number of elderly and immigrant populations, and is located along two major state highways which require constant police coverage. IPD consists of two full-time officers and three active part-time officers limited to night time hours, which provides only 13.75 hours of daily coverage. Police officers have witnessed signs and evidence of drug trafficking and drug-related violence through an increase in service calls and crime reports. Recently, there has been an increase in the use of IPD's drug canine within the region and discoveries of vehicles that have been used to transport illegal narcotics. Hiring additional officers will facilitate the increased use of the IPD canine and overall drug crime enforcement, provide for interagency resource sharing, and task force participation.

CA/CF