Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $359,196)
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, Winona County will utilize its award to create a Rural Crime and Drug Strike Task Force. The Winona County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) has seen a drastic increase in the amount of drug and gang activity and related crimes and violence in their community, and lacks sufficient manpower to address these crimes. The task force created for this project will allow the WCSO to hire an additional investigator and the District Attorney to hire an additional prosecutor. These additional personnel will allow WCSO to investigate crimes more effectively and provide security to the community, while the District Attorney will be able to more effectively prosecute the criminals involved with drugs and gangs.
CA/CF