2009 Collaborative JAG with the City of Saint Paul, County of Ramsey, and City of Maplewood

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 Ramsey County and the cities of St. Paul and Maplewood will use their JAG award in the amount of $473,061 to improve the quality of life, address gang issues, reduce drug trafficking, reduce domestic violence, increase victim safety, decrease auto theft and theft from autos, and decrease prostitution activity in the county. The city of St. Paul, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant ($320,283) to provide overtime to officers to decrease crime and increase public safety in targeted areas and to defray costs for grant administration. Ramsey County will use $136,489 to provide overtime for the sheriff's gang unit, support a community corrections aide position, and retain an investigator in the county attorney's office. The city of Maplewood will use $16,289 to support the retention of gang strike force and narcotics officer positions.

NCA/NCF