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 city of Lowell will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award in the amount of $121,867 to fund the 'Officer and Civilian Staff Retention Project.' This project will enable the Lowell Police Department (LPD) to retain two sworn officers for half of the 2010 fiscal year (January 1, 2010 ' June 30, 2010). The funding will also be utilized to fund a portion of the salaries of three members of the LPD's Research and Development Unit (R&D) and an Intelligence Analyst in the Crime Analysis and Intelligence Unit (CAIU) in 2010. The members of the R&D staff will work to obtain and manage state, federal, and private funding. This funding will also enable the LPD to continue to support an Intelligence Analyst, who is critical to the department as they assist with deployment decisions and plays a large role in high-profile gun and gang investigations.

NCA/NCF