FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG 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).

Hanover County, through the Hanover County Sheriff's Office, will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award to purchase 54 digital cameras to be allocated to officers in the Patrol Division. At minimum, they will use the cameras to document assaults, automobile accidents, vandalisms, and photographs of suspicious persons/vehicles. Digital cameras are replacing the 35mm camera, which is still in use in the Patrol Division of the Hanover County Sheriff's Office. By using digital cameras, officers will be able to automatically retrieve the photo, instead of waiting weeks for the 35mm film to be developed. As a result, photographs will be available in court for prosecution of criminal activitiy, and photographs of a suspicious person can be circulated immediately and an open case may be able to be solved in a more timely fashion.

NCA/NCF