Northeast Missouri Receives Over $400,000 in Byrne
Formula Grants
JEFFERSON CITY, July 8, 2005—Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is
pleased to announce the award of over $ 400,000 in Byrne Formula Grants
to two northeastern Missouri Drug Task Forces. The grant program funds
are administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety and are
made possible through the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice
Assistance.
In June, Gov. Blunt signed the first-ever
comprehensive meth bill, which seeks to keep key ingredients to making
the drug out of the hands of meth-makers. Gov. Blunt continues his pledge to fight Missouri's meth epidemic
with the announcement of today grants.
“I commend the work of the Northeast Missouri drug task forces,"
Blunt said. “These grant awards show that groups effective in anti-drug
and crime efforts will be supported and rewarded by the Department
of Public Safety and the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice
Assistance.”
The North
Missouri Drug Task Force (NOMO DTF) of Adair County will receive
$207,918.75, and the Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force of
Monroe City in Marion County will receive $273,870.75.
Drug Task Forces (DTFs) provide trained law enforcement personnel
to work in conjunction with Missouri law enforcement agencies as well
as state and federal agencies. Together they investigate and assist
in the prosecution of those who manufacture, distribute and transport
illegal narcotics in Northeast Missouri.
In 2004, there were 2,788 methamphetamine
laboratory incidents across the state. The Missouri State Highway
Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control alone
cited 537 methamphetamine laboratory
incidents. Incidents include laboratory seizures and dump sites, or
places where empty containers of meth-making ingredients and tools
are found. Even with increased efforts to investigate and seize meth
labs, statistics for this year are on track with 2004. From January
through April of 2005, there have been 1,322 meth lab incidents statewide,
200 of which were investigated by the Highway Patrol.
The Edward Byrne Formula Grants require a 25 percent agency
match for each award. The NOMO DTF will match $69,306.25 of their
own funds to their award, and the Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task
Force will match $91,290.25 to their award. Missouri will administer
a total of $9,501,569.13 in Byrne Formula Grants to agencies for programs
throughout the state.
The programs funded through Criminal Justice/Law
Enforcement Program (CJLE) identify state and local initiatives which
assist the state in the enforcement of drug control, or controlled
substance laws, initiatives which emphasize the prevention of control
of violent crime and serious offenders, and initiatives which improve
the effectiveness of the state and local criminal justice system.
For more information
about the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Program or the Edward Byrne
Formula Grant funds in this area or around the state, please contact
The Missouri Department of Public Safety, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement
Program at (573) 751-4905.