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 cities of Salt Lake, West Valley, South Salt Lake, West Jordan, Murray, Sandy, and Taylorsville and Salt Lake County will use their 2008 JAG award in the amount of $274,801 to support law enforcement, prevention, and education programs. Salt Lake City, the fiscal agent, will use their share of the JAG funds to finance the Salt Lake Peer Court, the Mobile Neighborhood Watch program, and overtime expenses for police officers to respond to calls from citizens regarding loud parties and underage drinking and to patrol the Pioneer Park area to prevent crime. Grant funds will also be used to pay for training for the Salt Lake City Police Department across a variety of fields. Finally, the Salt Lake City Police Department will purchase crime analysis and information-sharing software. The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office will use its share of the JAG funds to purchase mapping software for their Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. The software will serve as a command management tool for allocating resources and measuring crime in contract cities and unincorporated areas.

West Valley City will use its share of funds to purchase super shell jackets with crosstech fabric for the city's police officers. These jackets are windproof, waterproof, and reflective in low-light, providing good visibility. They also protect the officer from bodily fluids and chemicals. South Salt Lake City will use its share of grant funds to purchase digital in-car video equipment for the South Salt Lake City Police Department. This equipment will be used to gather evidence to enhance cases of driving under the influence. With this equipment, prosecutors will be provided with evidence of the driving pattern of the violator and results of field tests. West Jordan City will also buy in-car video systems and in-car printers. Officers will be able to print a copy of a citation for the offender and send a copy to the records division by just entering the citation once. This will eliminate the duplication of data entry, saving personnel hours.

Murray City will use its share of the grant funds to purchase an automated vehicle locator system. This system will decrease officer response times because dispatchers will know which patrol units are closest to the location. Sandy City will use its share of grant funds to purchase meshnode cameras and camera software licenses for transmitting real-time video surveillance of high-risk intersections, businesses subject to high crime rates, water supply facilities, housing with suspected criminal activities, and other public places. Cameras will also provide police officer safety in high-risk areas. Taylorsville City will use its share of funds to enhance narcotics enforcement through the Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU). As a training tool, grant funds will pay officers overtime to allow them time to shadow a DEU detective during the detective's shift.

NCA/NCF