Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $146,588)
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 Hamilton County Sheriff's Department will use the award to combat rural crime by reducing the production, distribution, and use of drugs, with an emphasis on methamphetamine. The funds will hire a dedicated full-time officer for the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force. The officer will then have all the resources of the Illinois State Police at their disposal. The dedicated officer's main job will be to investigate methamphetamine production, distribution, and use. They will also investigate drug-related crimes, such as robberies, burglaries, thefts, drug violence, and drug trafficking.
CA/CF