Arlington City Recovery Act Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern Border of the United States: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity along the Southern Border

The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern border of the United States under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is designed to provide resources for hiring, retention, assistance, and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas in order to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border of the United States. For the purpose of this solicitation, the term 'criminal narcotics activity' includes all drugs controlled by the Controlled Substance Act 21 USC Section 801.

Under Category I: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity, the city of Arlington, in conjunction with the North Texas High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), will use the funds to create a Domestic Highway Enforcement Unit (DHE) in order to intercept contraband and drug trafficking operations that impact the North Texas area. According to the North Texas HIDTA, the Dallas/Fort Worth area is a national-level transportation and distribution center for cocaine, marijuana, ice methamphetamine, and heroin in and outside the North Texas HIDTA region. Mexican drug trafficking organizations control the transportation of wholesale quantities of these drugs to the area for distribution. The city of Arlington has seen an increase in homicides, gun-related offenses, drug-related offenses, and gang activity. Gang enforcement, drug interdiction, and gun violence have become the Police Department's and the City's priorities. The DHE Unit, located within the Arlington Police Department, will focus on reducing the amount of narcotics transported into the area, reducing drug-related crime and violence in Arlington, and increasing drug seizures. The DHE unit will support criminal interdiction of contraband and specifically enforce the drug statutes, traffic and criminal laws, motor carrier safety regulations and laws, and hazardous material regulations. Grant funds will support personnel costs for four law enforcement officers and a K-9 officer, four Sport Utility Vehicles outfitted for the DHE Unit's purposes, mobile data computers, and various supplies.

CA/NCF