FY 2009 Recovery Act Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program

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, Beaver County, in collaboration with Iron County, will develop a crime and drug interdiction unit by supporting the salary of existing staff and new sheriff's deputies. A surveillance system, as well as the development of an intelligence-led policing database will also be funded. The crime and drug interdiction unit will be a multi-agency approach to combating rural crime through investigations, intelligence-gathering, data sharing, and community-oriented policing principles. The unit will address the growth in crime and drug-related activities that are being experienced within both counties and surrounding areas.

CA/NCF