FY24 Edward Byrne

The project title for JAG 24 funds is "Making Safer Communities in NWI".  It speaks of specific efforts and successes over the past year of increased sharing between the major 35 local agencies within Lake County.  Goals for the project include:  Ensure and promote public interest, safety, advocacy, regulation, and enforcement, continue to maximize efficiencey and effectiveness by being better equipped, improve department technology and enhance community safety in Lake Co., IN, and provide effective service and protection to the citizens of Lake Co., IN.  The City of Hammond will apply JAG funds toward SWAT team helmets equipped with ballistic technology and integrated communication systems. Their SWAT team faces dangerous, high-risk situations daily which include hostage rescues, armed barricades, high-threat warrant executions, and active shooter incidents, ensuring protection of their community as their top priority. The Hammond Police Department will apply the remaining funds on general office supplies to be used on this project.  The City of Gary will apply JAG funds towards Clearview AI the only facial recognition company that provides billions of faces caputued on the web and "in the wild".  Facial image database will support the investigation bureau to help solve cases withing the department.  The Gary Police Department will apply the remaining funds to cover office supplies for administrative offices.  The City of East Chicago will apply JAG funds for conference room seating and table, allowing their Administrative staff proper equipment to hold meetings with staff, local agencies, staff training and to conduct polygraph testing.  The Lake County Sheriff Department will apply JAG funds for personnel over-time directed toward the Lake County Drug Task Force Unit which is comprised of gang, interdiction, narcotics officers and Intel Analysts, general office supplies, electronic investigation and surveillance telephone communications for undercover buys, real-time automotive GPS tracking device utitlized in their day-to-day undercover operations and the money counter that is used to record currency for controlled narcotics transactions.