The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office has created a new crime prevention analyst position and been awarded a $215,000 grant to fund the position.

This week, County Commissioners approved the grant from the Montana State Homeland Security Program for local program development.

Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said it’s a two-year grant that is often renewed.

He said the crime analyst will put crime data together, link and track cases, monitor jail calls to find connections between people accused of crime and others, support the city-county violent crimes task force and more.

Slaughter said the position will be able to help spot trends in types of crimes, areas of crime and people associated with criminal activity in the hopes of improving investigations, making arrests and preventing crime.

Slaughter said the crime analyst will serve as the facilitator for the violent crimes task force and may be requested to support other law enforcement agencies for large, planned events that are associated with criminal activity.

The crime analyst will also be available to the Great Falls Police Department for support, Slaughter said.

CCSO hired from within for the position and the employee starts in the new role later this month, he said.