U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Pasco Sheriff's Evidence Tracking Automation
Award Information
Awardee
              Pasco County Sheriff''s Office
Award #
              2017-AK-BX-0008
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    New Port Richey, FL
Congressional District
              12
Status
              Open
Funding First Awarded
              2017
Total funding (to date)
              $238,608
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY17 Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence - Inventory, Tracking, and Reporting Program (SAFE-ITR)
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2017, $238,608)
Pasco County occupies 868 square miles of land and is home to nearly 500,000 residents, making it the 12th most populated county and 6th largest unincorporated jurisdiction in Florida.  When compared to all local (city and county) law enforcement agencies in Florida, Pasco Sheriff's Office (PSO) serves as the seventh largest population of any local law enforcement agency in Florida. Pasco County is centrally located on Florida's west coast, about 30 miles north of Tampa and 50 miles west of Orlando. As a result, Pasco County experiences many of the same problems with crime as those large metropolitan jurisdictions; however, unfortunately it does not have the same tax base as those jurisdictions, which adversely affects the funding of governmental agencies within the county to include PSO. Our annual budget is not as robust when compared to counties of similar size, which has forced the agency to streamline its operation and continuously look for ways to increase efficiency, enhance processes, and find alternative methods of funding for important projects to help achieve these goals.
To successfully fulfill the identified gap in the tracking and reporting of sexual assault kits (SAKs), PSO is requesting consideration to be awarded the funding needed through the SAFE-ITR program. These funds will afford PSO the ability to contract with a qualified vendor to develop software for a secured automated tracking system to ensure that we meet the standards set by the State of Florida Attorney General Adult and Child Sexual Assault Protocols, the Florida Department Law Enforcement (FDLE) laboratory  submission guidelines, and the following Florida Statutes: 794.024, 925.11 and the newly created 943.326 (July 1, 2016).
Through the acquisition and utilization of funds from this grant, it is the goal of PSO to partner with other law enforcement agencies and the FDLE - Tampa office to establish a strategic plan aimed at improving the quality and coordination of all SAKs submitted. This tracking would begin from the moment the kits are collected up until their final disposition. The new system would also aid in our initiative as it would serve as the main tracking tool providing accountability for each item of evidence in our inventory, documenting the chain of custody every step of the way.
The SAFE-ITR program furthers our mission in seeking just penalties for those determined guilty by ensuring fair and impartial efforts as justice is being sought for each and every victim.
ca/ncf

  
Date Created: September 29, 2017
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      NIJ Innovations in Measuring Community Perceptions Challenge Winner: Micro-Community Policing Plans
                  Pivoting Headspace Ethanol Analysis to Accommodate Modern Day Scenarios
                  Empirical Analysis of Saw Mark Characteristics in Human Bone: Meeting Forensic Standards in Dismemberment Cases
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov