Governor Jan Brewer Releases Border Security Enhancement Program Guidance
May 18, 2010$10 Million in Support of Local Law Enforcement for Arizona Border Region
PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer today released program guidance for the Border Security Enhancement Program (BSEP), a grant program of the Governor’s Border Security Plan announced in April.
“A government’s principle responsibility to its citizens is to provide safety and security,” said Governor Brewer. “However, the federal government has failed miserably in its obligation and moral responsibility to its citizens regarding border security. By allocating $10 million of my remaining discretionary federal stimulus monies to county, local and tribal law enforcement, we are taking productive and important steps to promote safety for all Arizonans.”
On April 22, Governor Brewer authorized the utilization of $10 million of State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (SFSF) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to fund the Border Security Enhancement Program. The funds must be used to increase the capacity of county, local and tribal law enforcement to combat criminal activity associated with or directly stemming from the southern border.
The funds must specifically supplement law enforcement’s ability to address illegal drug trafficking, human smuggling and illegal immigration. A special emphasis must be placed on the protection of residents and commercial interests threatened by criminal activity emerging from the border.
Eligible jurisdictions include the four border counties (Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz, and Yuma), the Cocopah Tribe, Fort Yuma-Quechen Tribe, and the Tohono O’odham Nation, along with incorporated cities and towns located within close proximity of the international border.
The length of the grant is 16 months. Extensions to the period of performance will not be considered due to the expiration of the SFSF funds on September 30, 2011. Completed strategies must be submitted by May 28, 2010.
Read The Border Security Enhancement Program
