Rep. Jeff Pyle (R-Armstrong/Indiana) today announced the Armstrong County District Attorney's Office has been granted $20,000 to purchase protective body armor, drug raid gear and other equipment for the ArmNet Drug Task Force.

“The physical safety of our task force officers is paramount to the county’s aggressive pursuit and prosecution of drug dealers,” Pyle said. “Our drug task force officers risk life and limb from increasingly violent dealers. Protection of our officers is of the highest priority.”

Pyle presented the grant to Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi, who has been the county's District Attorney since 1997. He is responsible for prosecuting all crimes committed in the county, including those related to illegal drugs. The Armstrong County Drug Task Force operates under the office of the district attorney.

Earlier this year, Pyle presented Andreassi's office with another $20,000 grant to purchase mobile laptops with one year of free air time for 11 municipal police departments in Armstrong County. The laptops can now be purchased and installed in police cruisers for use by local police officers while on patrol so that they may access the JNet program widely used in the county’s anti-drug efforts and communicate securely while coordinating anti-crime efforts.

Municipal police forces that will benefit from the mobile laptop grant include the boroughs of Apollo, Freeport, Kittanning, Ford City, Worthington and West Kittanning; and the townships of South Buffalo, North Buffalo, East Franklin, Manor and Kiski.

“Both $20,000 grants are the result of a comprehensive effort by all levels of government to put an end to illegal drug activities” Pyle said. “The protective body armor and raid gear, when coupled with the laptops, will allow county task force detectives and local policemen greater and more efficient coordination of our efforts to eradicate the scourge of drugs and crime in our neighborhoods and townships.”

“The funding provided today will enable our officers and our Task Force to stay on the cutting edge of technology in our fight against drugs,” Andreassi said.  “Rep. Pyle has been an untiring advocate for our officers and our drug enforcement activity.  We appreciate his support for the Task Force and for law enforcement in Armstrong County.”

Pyle added that he is pleased to have the opportunity to return tax dollars to the local area to assist the county and local municipalities in the anti-drug and law enforcement effort, which will ultimately improve the quality of life for area citizens.

Additionally, he noted that fighting drugs is not just a federal, state or local issue, it affects everyone and calls for everyone working together to eradicate them from local communities. 

“To give the people the tools we need to fight this war on drugs, I would encourage everyone reading this to access NoDrugsPa.com, which is an excellent resource for all parents and concerned citizens,” Pyle said.