Full Text
Law Enforcement Center 401 Walton Way Augusta, Georgia 30911 (706) 821-1000 fax (706) 821-1064 RONALD STRENGTH SHERIFF Richmond County Sheriff’s Office June 5, 2008 To the Citizens of Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia Dear Citizens of Augusta-Richmond County: The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of applying for funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) FY 2008 Local Solicitation Program. This grant has replaced the former Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG) Program, which is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. The purpose of these programs is to provide funds to units of local government to underwrite projects to reduce crime and improve public safety. For the last seven years, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has utilized four LLEBG funding programs and two JAG programs to purchase and maintain Mobile Data Terminals for our Field Operations’ vehicles. It is our desire to utilize the additional funding available in the 2008 JAG program to continue the support of this program. As a prerequisite to approval, the citizens of Augusta-Richmond County must be given an opportunity to review the application process and provide feedback. With this in mind, I ask you to review the proposal for funding on the following pages. Simply put, this funding program offers our agency $52,849 to support the Mobile Data Terminal program over the next four years, with no requirement to spend any local tax dollars (referred to as a “local match”). If you would like to provide feedback or make an inquiry or comment regarding this funding program, please contact Chester V. Huffman at (706) 821-1577, or email to [EMAIL REDACTED] . With kindest regards, I remain, Ronald Strength Sheriff, Richmond County, Georgia RHS/cvh ---PAGE BREAK--- EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT JAG FY 2008 LOCAL SOLICITATION LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPLICATION REVIEW The Honorable Ronald Strength, Sheriff, Richmond County Georgia Prepared & Submitted for the Sheriff by Chester V. Huffman June 5, 2008 Grant # 2008-F4136-GA-DJ ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 FUNDING PURPOSE Purchase of Mobile Data Terminals Under the JAG – FY 2008 Local Solicitation Program, the Richmond County Sheriff's Office proposes to continue the purchase and maintenance of Mobile Data Terminals and associated technology for use in vehicles assigned to the Field Operations Division. This grant funding will be used to further the technological undertaking that this agency began with the 1998 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program. BUDGET NARRATIVE The JAG FY 2008 Local Solicitation Program budget will continue to fund the purchase and maintenance of mobile computer terminals and related technology for law enforcement vehicles assigned to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. The budget for the Augusta-Richmond County application for a grant under this program is explained in the following paragraph. The amount of available federal funding is $52,849. There is no local match requirement. The funding will be used in concert with currently existing LLEBG grant programs in order to continue the purchase and maintenance of mobile data technology. Time Table The funding period for this grant is four years. Awards are made in the first fiscal year of the appropriation and may be expended during the following three years, for a total of four years. Extensions beyond this period may be made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Director of BJA. PROGRAM PURPOSE Use of the Mobile Data Terminal System Mobile computer terminals in police vehicles have been tested by many agencies throughout the nation and have been extremely effective for law enforcement. The use of these systems has provided a rapid and reliable means of obtaining information necessary in today’s criminal justice arena. In specific areas of police work, a Mobile Data Terminal system would: When online, enable an officer the ability to directly access the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) systems to determine “wants or warrants” on individuals, along with access to entered stolen property; Dramatically increase the recovery of stolen vehicles within a short time of the reported theft; Permit an officer to immediately enter reports and stolen property information, reducing down time, allowing that officer to remain on duty; Further eliminate the current practice of typing or handwriting a report by a field officer, only to be retyped by a Records Bureau employee for entry into the computer database, allowing for a reduction in the workload of Records Bureau personnel as well as more expedient filing of important reports; Allow field officers access to offender information such as identity, criminal history, and other important data that would otherwise be unknown to the officer until after some action has been taken (extremely important from an officer safety standpoint); Reduce the direct “on air” contact with Communications Officers, allowing for better radio security, a lessened dispatcher workload, and quicker transmittal of information.