Lafayette County Sheriff's Office Criminal Data 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, Lafayette County will update antiquated technological equipment and software for the sheriff's office and hire a part-time data clerk. The outdated software currently in use is not conducive to timely response times or efficient operations of all facets of law enforcement. Updated software will enable law enforcement to have access to an up-to-date criminal database to share information locally among other law enforcement communities and agencies. In addition, data can be collected, tracked, and compiled from the use of the new software-reporting module. Other equipment purchases include a computer aided dispatching system, records management system, jail management system, consultant services, and software training. A part-time data clerk will be hired to aid in the data reporting, collecting, and disseminating processes.

CA/CF