Fiscal Year 2008 Justice Assistance Grant 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 Tucson and Pima County will utilize their Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $203,286 for criminal justice purposes. The city of Tucson Police Department will use their portion of the JAG funds ($101,643) to purchase 118 wireless mobile cellular air cards and their service fees so that officers can obtain real-time transfer of information. This will enable officers to more effectively identify suspects, solve crimes, and apprehend criminals. Through the wireless cards, officers will also obtain access to Coplink in the field. Coplink is a data warehouse formed by more than twenty law enforcement agencies throughout Pima County. Pima County will use their portion of the award ($101,643) to fund a legal secretary and an administrative services specialist for the Pima County Attorney's Office, and to purchase network equipment for the Pima County Sheriff's Department. Pima County is undergoing a continuing high crime rate and the Attorney's Office is experiencing large, complex, and time-consuming caseloads. The legal secretary and administrative services specialist will support attorneys prosecuting violent and other crimes. The Pima County Sheriff's Department will replace old network routers that are not in compliance with the encryption requirements of the Criminal Justice Information Service Security Policy. The new equipment will comply with these standards and will be used on data circuits that support the Sheriff's remote locations and other system users, including other Police Departments, the U.S. Marshall's Tucson office, and the FBI Tucson office.

NCA/NCF