KNOX COUNTY TO HIRE NEW DRUGS PROSECUTOR

$431,800 Grant Will Fund New Crackdown on Drug Crime

GALESBURG - The Knox County State's Attorney's office has been
awarded a $431,800 grant to create a new prosecutor's position that
will specialize in the prosecution of drug cases.

The county released news of the award from the federal Bureau of
Justice Assistance Thursday. A large part of the funds will be used
to pay the salaries of the new drug prosecutor, a legal assistant and
a communications position, according to the county's public
information officer Gary Tomlin.

Part of the money will be used to create public awareness among
school children of the harsh punishments for felony convictions of
drug possession, manufacturing and sales.

The remainder will be spent on training law enforcement officers on
the latest court decisions on drug case investigation, interrogation
and evidence gathering. The specialized training will help in the
early stages of cases to ensure the prosecutor is armed with thorough
investigations and complete evidence to take into the courtroom.

"This grant creates two professional jobs and a three-year part-time
position which by itself is good for the local economy, and it will
go a long way toward making the county safer from drug crimes,"
County Board member Wayne Saline, R-District 4, said.

State's Attorney John Pepmeyer said the grant will allow the county
to send out a strong message against illegal drug use.

"This will allow us to send a loud, clear and well targeted message
- -- do not to use drugs in Knox County. Our ability to keep the
communities throughout Knox County a safer place to live and send our
children to school will be greatly enhanced," Pepmeyer said. "Drugs
are clearly our number one problem. Approximately 75 percent of the
crimes my office deals with on a daily basis are drug or drug and
alcohol related."

The new prosecutor will be able to focus exclusively on drug crimes
and the county hopes the overall strategy of strict enforcement and
awareness will curb problems connected to drugs.

"The dedicated drug prosecutor will have the resources and time to
build solid cases and reduce the plea bargains and increase sentences
for repeat offenders," County Board Chairman Greg Bacon, D-District
2, said. "They will have more time to identify the assets and
property that offenders have and seek aggressive implementation of
the forfeiture laws."

In addition to the two full-time jobs the grant creates, it also
funds a three-year, part-time, communications contractor position.

The communications contractor will develop the curriculum for law
enforcement training seminars and "Punishment Awareness
Presentations" for area youth, according to the county.

"The education component will help us reach kids early. The police
seminars will help expedite their investigations following arrests
and help officers understand the gathering and exchange of essential
information," Pepmeyer said.

The grant will fund the three positions for three years. If the
program is successful in reducing drug crime the county board could
decide to continue to fund the positions after the award runs out.
Tomlin said the county will begin the search for candidates for the
three new positions immediately.

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant is funded through
the American Recover and Reinvestment Act, the federal economic
stimulus package signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009.

It was awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S.
Department of Justice and administered by the Illinois Criminal
Justice Information Authority. The grant is 100 percent funded and
requires no local match.