South Central Iowa Rural Enforcement Enhancement

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 city of Centerville, along with the South Central Iowa Drug Task Force (SCIDTF), will use its award to infiltrate significant criminal organizations throughout the area covered by the SCIDTF by hiring two undercover police officers. The task force will utilize these undercover officers to reduce all crime, especially drug-related crime in numerous jurisdictions in Southern Iowa by infiltrating key criminal organizations that are responsible for a high percentage of criminal activity. These undercover officers will be under the direct command of the SCIDTF and will help preserve and enhance the task force, which covers a 10 county area and currently has only one officer and a sergeant from two different jurisdictions. Funds will also purchase specialized covert equipment and evidence collection tools and pay to train the new officers.

CA/CF