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 city of Chelsea will use its Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $22,642 to support overtime expenses for special task force officers. The city of Chelsea is a base of criminal operations of several sophisticated gangs and is in close proximity to the metropolitan Boston region. Funding from the JAG award will be used for criminal and homeland security intelligence gathering, and to support special operations targeting gangs, drug dealing, prostitution, and violent crime. Special emphasis will be on targeting gangs and drugs. The JAG award will fund approximately 385 hours of overtime for task force operations. These hours will allow the special task force to execute special initiatives in conjunction with the daily operations officers.

NCA/NCF