Law Enforcement Improvements

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local governments, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and 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, including 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 and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The disparate jurisdictions consisting of Polk County and the cities of Des Moines, Urbandale, and West Des Moines will use their Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $339,826 to purchase law enforcement equipment to address officer safety, enhance procedural efficiencies, and upgrade technology to further all jurisdictional public safety missions. The city of Des Moines, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant ($286,229) to purchase crime deterrence cameras for parks, cemeteries, and other public areas, for the design of electronic police report forms, and implementation of an automated field reporting system. Polk County will utilize their allocation of $21,920 to support the sheriff's automatic license plate reader system. The city of Urbandale will use their funds ($12,091) to implement a K-9 unit as a new tool in fighting crime. West Des Moines will use its allocation of $19,586 to replace tactical vests used by their Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT).

NCA/NCF