Proactive Policing Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The disparate jurisdictions of the City of Albany and the County of Albany will utilize their Fiscal Year 2008 Justice Assistance Grant award in the amount of $46,560 to support the City's efforts of community policing and crime prevention. Through the Department of Public Safety, police officers will be deployed for proactive investigations into state licensed establishments serving alcohol in order to combat underage drinking, excessive consumption, and other criminal activity. Funds will also be directed towards a school dismissal detail, during which officers patrol areas near local schools to prevent nuisance crimes before, after, and during school hours. In addition, the police department will also support CeaseFire operations, a local crime fighting strategy aimed at providing officers for parole and probation home visits, traffic checkpoints, and specialized patrols in neighborhoods identified through statistical analysis as having a high incidence of criminal activity. For purposes of grant administration, the City of Albany will continue to serve as the fiscal agent of the JAG award.

NCA/NCF