Combating Rural Crimes in Nebraska

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 State of Nebraska Attorney General (AG) will use its award to enhance cybercrimes initiatives in Nebraska, especially in its rural counties, by expanding the Attorney General Office's Cybercrime Unit. The majority of Nebraska's rural counties are served by understaffed and underfunded law enforcement agencies that lack adequate technology to investigate or prosecute cybercrimes. While the Nebraska State Patrol has received funding to combat internet crimes against children, their resources are spread thin and concentrated in urban centers. By expanding its Cybercrime Unit, the AGO will focus on fighting cybercrimes in rural Nebraska counties. Funding will be used to retain one investigator, hire an additional investigator, and hire a prosecutor to work with this unit. The AG will also use funding to furnish the unit with needed technology and equipment. With additional staff and equipment, the Cybercrimes Unit will be able to establish investigative and prosecutorial protocols, establish communications among other agencies combating cybercrimes, increase the number of trained cybercrimes investigators and prosecutors, and increase the number of investigations, arrests, seizures, and prosecutions of cybercriminals.

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