FY 2009 Justice Assistance Grant Program

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 Shelby County and the cities of Bartlett and Memphis will use their Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award in the amount of $1,469,838 to support the District Attorney's office, Juvenile Court, and Mental Health services for persons in jail and to purchase law enforcement equipment. Shelby County, serving as the fiscal agent for this award, will use their share of the JAG funding on salaries and training for critical projects such as a drug court program, a gang crime prosecution effort, a safety in detention service initiative, a reentry program, juvenile courts security, and a jail mental health unit. In addition to supporting these programs, the county will purchase equipment such as in-car video systems and court room security kiosks. The city of Memphis will use their share of JAG funding to purchase equipment, provide training for officers, and develop a Crime Stoppers Program. The city of Memphis Police Department will purchase law enforcement and surveillance equipment such as video recording systems, license plate readers, vehicle equipment safes, navigational systems and first aid kits. This equipment is critical to the success of the law enforcement effort and will be utilized to provide for the safety of officers and the community. The city of Memphis will also use funds for training. This training will support the successful deployment of equipment, enhance investigations, and provide police officers with enhanced skills to more effectively achieve the mission of the department. Finally, the city of Memphis will use JAG funding to enhance the Crime Stoppers Program within the city. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help police capture criminals by offering cash rewards and anonymity to citizens for information about crimes. The city of Bartlett will use their share of JAG funding to purchase two digital, dash-cam video systems. This project will eliminate the need for purchasing VHS and Hi-8 tapes and also provide better quality video and audio. In addition, the new digital systems will provide the patrol officers and the police department with a camera system that will document evidence by the most effective means.

NCA/NCF