The sevier county sheriff's office proposes the central utah public safety project and intends to increase public safety and community safety through a multi-faceted project based on analysis of…

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $1,037,000 Project Grant under the Congressionally Recommended Awards (CFDA 16.753) program to the County of Sevier, Utah. The grant supports the Central Utah Public Safety Project, which aims to increase public and community safety through several initiatives:

1. Installing full-body scanners in the Sevier and Millard County jails to prevent the introduction of contraband and improve rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals.

2. Providing body-worn cameras for law enforcement agencies in the region that lack the funds to add or replace outdated units, enhancing accountability and trust between the public and police.

3. Acquiring equipment to aid the sheriff's offices in search and rescue operations on the public lands within the multi-county project area, which has seen increased visitation and need for emergency response capabilities.

The 24-month project is expected to be completed by December 31, 2026 and aligns with the Congressionally Recommended Awards program's mission to improve criminal justice system functioning, prevent juvenile delinquency, and assist crime victims across the United States.

The sevier county sheriff's office proposes the central utah public safety project and intends to increase public safety and community safety through a multi-faceted project based on analysis of gaps in services. This project seeks to increase the safety of individuals who become incarcerated into the sevier and millard county jails by installing full body scanners in both jails. The scanners will aid in the prevention of contraband being introduced into the jails that would prevent or deter the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals. This will also allow for the process to be quicker and safer for all who enter the jail. This community project adds body cameras to agencies who lack the funds to add or replace outdated body worn cameras that are critical to preserving evidence and documenting officers' interactions with the public. This creates an element of community trust and working relationships. The cameras and software add accountability and opportunity to improve services. A critical part of this project is the need for equipment to aid the sheriff's offices in their responsibilities to perform search and rescue functions on public lands that are in the combined multi-county project area. The area of this project is made of rural and frontier communities comprised of public lands where visitors come to recreate. The need for equipment to locate missing or lost individuals and the necessary equipment to respond to the varied and sometimes hostile terrain has increased as the visitors to the project area has increased and the need to respond to these types of public services has increased. The project is expected to take 24 months to complete once authorization is given.