The enhancing investigations and prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (EIP) encourages law enforcement agencies and/or prosecutors offices to expand and…

The Aroostook County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with Hope and Justice and Maliseet Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocates, received a $500,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590). The grant will be used to expand and improve the capacity of law enforcement and prosecutors to effectively investigate and prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Aroostook County, ME. Key activities include hiring two additional sheriff's deputies to be assigned to the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. The project aims to support victim safety and autonomy, hold offenders accountable, and promote agency trust within the surrounding community. The grant award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

The enhancing investigations and prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (EIP) encourages law enforcement agencies and/or prosecutors offices to expand and improve their capacity to effectively investigate and/or prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and in so doing, support victim safety and autonomy, hold offenders accountable, and promote agency trust within the surrounding community. The EIP project by the aroostook county sheriffs office, in partnership with hope and justice and maliseet domestic violence and sexual assault advocates, to implement in aroostook county, me addresses EIP purpose areas: 1, 2, 4, and 6. Additionally, this project addresses OVW priority area 1: access to justice and priority area 2: services to sexual assault survivors. Specific activities include, but not limited to, hiring two sheriffs deputies to be assigned to the domestic violence and sexual assault unit.