Del Norte County Sheriff's Office Investgations Division Augmentation Project

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, Del Norte County will support the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division Augmentation Project. The current Investigations Division consists of five staff and one sergeant, who carries a full caseload due to the heavy workload that the division has. As a result, the quality of grants management and paperwork has suffered and backlog has increased. The award will augment the current operational structure by hiring two personnel. The first position is a detective who will work with the Narcotics Unit agents and assist with high-risk warrant service and surveillance operations. The second position is a civilian special technician who will be assigned to the Narcotics Unit. This staff person will process and handle evidence, track cases to disposition, conduct data entry and collection, and assist in grant management. Funds will also purchase equipment for both positions and their specific duties, upgrade storage equipment and handling evidence for the Detective and Narcotics Units, and pay for costs associated with attending mandatory grant training.

CA/CF