Improving Rural Law Enforcement Investigations; Drug Related

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 Warren County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) will use its grant in the amount of $366,050 to improve its Drug Task Force Investigations unit. Funds will be used to hire three certified Drug Task Force Investigators to provide formation of informants, develop leads, work undercover operations, investigate drug complaints, and make drug arrests that conclude in convictions. WCSO will use the remainder of the grant funds to outfit the three investigators with undercover surveillance vehicles to assist in investigating drug-related crimes in rural areas of the county, firearms, and radio equipment.

CA/CF