Wakulla County Sheriff's Office Rural Law Enforcement Investigations Initiative 2009

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 Wakulla County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) will increase the number of successful investigations of drug-related crimes and work to reduce the number of juvenile drug, alcohol, and gang-related offenses. Wakulla County has seen an increase in drug-related crimes among all age groups. The county has also seen an increase in underage drinking and an increasing crime rate for juvenile offenders, especially gang-related juvenile offenses. WCSO will use grant funding to hire an additional investigator for the narcotics unit, which will allow the office to increase its number of successful investigations of drug-related crimes. The sheriff's office will also use grant funds to create a new juvenile division, which will provide openings for a director and a programs specialist who will oversee juvenile programs and activities to deter adolescents from gang activity, underage drinking, and other offenses. This division will also retain two school resource officers, who will work with the school board to implement outreach and educational programs in local elementary, junior high, and high schools.

CA/CF