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f I" Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant Program Uwe Refer to the BCA Grants Management Technical Assistance Workshop Manual. Use this as a guide to assist you in completing Section D Problem Identification. Briefly describe a specific problem to be addressed with subgrant funds If you are seeking funds to contl nue existing project activities, your problem statement must also provide a short summary of your current program and describe any gaps between current and desired project results. Program DescriraSionI Briefly describe how project activities will address the targeted problem Describe who will do what, when, where and how SEE PAGE 2 OF INSTRUCTIONS ON ITEMS TO INCLUDE. Sfart below and use continuation pages as necessary. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION F i Indian River County is located in East Central Florida and in land mass represents 540 square miles. The 100,000 plus population resides primarily in the south and northern part of the county. The land mass to the west is dedicated to agriculture and the entire eastern coast is shaped by water. These two factors: undeveloped and isolated laird area ripe for growing and clandestine activity coupled with avenues for waterway importation and transportation make illicit activity attractive to the element bringing narcotics into our community. The law enforcement community of Indian River County estimates that over 50 percent of all crimes are attributed to drug abuse. Drug arrest continue to increase for both sales and possession, in the county. Drug arrests for sale and possession of drugs is alarming. According to UOR records, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office made 331 drug arrest in 1991, 239 in 1992, 291 in 1993, 320 in 1994, and 300 in 1995. The M.A.C.E. Unit has conducted 583 drug related investigations and has arrested 495 drug offenders, since its inception October 1, 1993. During the grant year 1993-94, some project goals were not met. The reasons vary, from the assimilation of detectives from three agencies, as well as training them in drug-related investigations. In addition, when the original program objectives were established, they were based on county wide arrests: these include arrests by uniform officers from all the municipalities as well as the Sheriff's Office uniform deputies. The M.A.C.E. Unit only claims arrest and investigations initiated by itself. Substance abuse continues to be a major problem for the entire nation. Drug offenders are not curtailed by any boundaries; they cross jurisdictional boundaries every day to sell, buy, or deliver illegal goods to our citizens, students, and work force. In order to combat the drug increase activity, it is necessary to consolidate our efforts regarding manpower. Disbanding it would not benefit society, but only to the drug dealers. A recap of the M.A.C.E. Units activities are as follows. During the 1994-95 grant year, the M,A.C.E. Unit, with most of the initial start-up problems resolved , was able to meet most of its stated objectives. The purchase of additional equipment through "lapsed" funds and Project Generated !ncome assisted the unit's surveillance and monitoring capabilities, enhancing drug- related investigations and providing for greater officer safety. The purchase of this equipment has and will continue to secure more convictions due to better preparation and suspect identification. The grant year 1995-96, the M.A.C.E Unit targeted repeat offenders and molded its investigations to move these offenders into the federal court system This led to greater quality of arrests and increased sentence lengths while reducing the overall number of arrests The length and severity of tftese sentences enabled the unit to shut -down a major narcotic- SuDprs�I Mac�9P : L :' _ I, i i 10 16