FY 2009 Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Drugs and Crime

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, West Virginia University will use its award to hire West Virginia University Institute of Technology Police Department personnel to enhance its ability to detect, prevent, and reduce crime and improve public safety. One entry-level police officer will be hired to supplement the current force. The officer will be trained in criminal and drug-related crime investigative techniques. Other training will consist of interview and interrogation techniques, and the collection and maintenance of evidence. The officer will also serve as the department's crime prevention person to educate and inform the community of crime preventing methods. The project will also hire one civilian clerk to enter data and maintain the department's records management system. The position will improve the department's ability to enter reports and other data in a timely manner, and reduce the chances of data entry mistakes. Also, the position will ehance the department's ability to share and collect information with other law enforcement agencies and local communities.

CA/NCF