The Big Island police department has been selected for a $443,405 federal grant to combat the manufacture, use and distribution of methamphetamine, and to help the department work with other agencies to prevent and treat meth abuse.

The grant is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The money is part of $43.6 million that will be distributed to 117 law enforcement agencies under the COPS Methamphetamine Initiative.

Communities with problems with meth abuse are selected for grants based on federal law enforcement and treatment data.