July 29, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY – The Perry County Sheriff’s Office will receive more money to conduct ruse checkpoints thanks to a Missouri Department of Public Safety grant.

The Perry County Sheriff’s Office will receive $16,419 as its share of more than $7.3 million being awarded according to an announcement from Gov. Jay Nixon.

The money will cover the cost of operating the ruse checkpoints which the sheriff’s office has used to catch those who might be transporting illegal drugs along the county’s highways.

The DPS is responsible for the allocation of the funds, which are provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"The production, sale and use of illegal drugs are problems that devastate communities and put Missouri citizens at great risk," Gov. Nixon said. "Specialized task forces that allow law enforcement officers to focus on solving drug-related crimes are a powerful tool for dealing with troubling issues like the spread of methamphetamine. Today, we put more than $7 million of new resources in the hands of officers who’ll use them to crack down on the criminals who traffic and sell illegal narcotics in their communities and to improve their law enforcement agencies."

In total, $7,339,177 in federal Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) are being awarded to 28 drug task forces operated by counties, municipalities and the Missouri State Highway Patrol and to eight law enforcement agencies to strengthen their law enforcement programs. Because of federal budget cuts this year that slashed more than 60 percent of the funding for drug task force initiatives, the Nixon administration sought an allocation of Recovery Act funds that would let applicant agencies fill the gap created by those cuts. The $7.3 million announced today will prevent many of the recipient agencies from being forced to make cuts to their drug task force programs, even in the face of difficult economic conditions.

Other initiatives receiving a portion of the $7.3 million include:

· The North Missouri Drug Task Force in Adair County will receive $291,611;

· The East Central Drug Task Force in Audrain County will receive $137,350;

· The Southwest Missouri Drug Task Force in Barry County will receive $280,956;

· The North County M.E.G Drug Task Force in Bridgeton will receive $47,900;

· The Buchanan County Drug Strike Force will receive $288,241;

· Operation Computerize in Caldwell County will receive $32,259;

· The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group in Camden County will receive $271,888;

· The Clark County patrol vehicle upgrade project will receive $27,311;

· The Technology Enhancement project in Crocker will receive $16,516;

· The Clay County Drug Task Force will receive $351,855;

· The Forsyth Emergency Communications Project will receive $61,366;

· The Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit will receive $115,201;

· The NITRO Drug Task Force in Grundy County will receive $96,367;

· The South Central Drug Task Force in Howell County will receive $331,159;

· The Jasper County Drug Task Force will receive $88,207;

· MUSTANG in Jefferson City will receive $189,215;

· The Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group will receive $320,112;

· The Kansas City Multi-jurisdictional Task Force will receive $419,008;

· The Lafayette County Narcotics Unit will receive $190,371;

· The Mineral Area Drug Task Force in Leadington will receive $170,443;

· The Northwest Missouri Information Sharing Project in Maryville will receive $148,239;

· The Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force in Monroe City will receive $385,081;

· The Mid-Missouri Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force in Morgan County will receive $254,169;

· The Bootheel Drug Task Force in Pemiscot County will receive $294,635;

· The Platte County Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Group will receive $278,431;

· The SEMO Drug Task Force in Poplar Bluff will receive $237,276;

· Radio Free Reynolds in Reynolds County will receive $87,815;

· The St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force will receive $265,970;

· The Community Narcotics Enforcement Team in St. Clair County will receive $206,305;

· The Metro Multi-jurisdictional Undercover Drug Program in the City of St. Louis will receive $238,339;

· The Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force in St. Louis County will receive $195,206;

· Project Mobile in Stover will receive $24,500; and

· The University of Central Missouri police department technology upgrade will receive $112,262.