Combating Drugs in Mackinac County Through SANE

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, Mackinac County will use its award to increase the number of interdictions, drug and money seizures, and arrests for sales and possession of illegal narcotics in and around Mackinac County and the Straits area region. Mackinac County will use the funds to provide a Mackinac County Sheriff's Office Deputy and vehicle for use in the regional drug task force team known as the Straits Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (SANE). SANE is a regional team covering the northern tip of the lower peninsula and the eastern upper peninsula of Michigan. Previously, Mackinac County had been unable to provide a deputy for use by the regional team.

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