Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $263,872)
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 Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) will use its award to hire and equip two sworn law enforcement investigators. These new positions and equipment will improve LCSO's ability to investigate drug activity and criminal cases. The two new full time investigators will focus on community policing and improving LCSO's overall crime rating, as well as enhance its ability to share information with other law enforcement sources and agencies like the Regional Information Sharing System. LCSO will also support local groups with time and resources to prevent gang recruitment of teenagers, and reduce the drug trade in the county, which has been linked to multiple homicides over the past several years.
CA/CF