Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $209,259)
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, Marion County will use its award to support the Marion County Sheriff's Department (MCSD). Funds will hire two patrol deputies, purchase video equipment for cruisers and video microphones for deputies, and a new alcohol testing unit. With only seven deputies available to patrol, three deputies are the maximum number on duty at any one time. Two new deputies would be assigned to county-wide patrol, increasing coverage by 29 percent. In addition, MCSD is hampered in evidence collection due to a lack of video cameras or microphones. The Arkansas Health Department has notified MCSD that they must replace their current alcohol testing unit with an Intox EC/IR-II.
CA/CF