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 Apache Junction will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award to fund the police department's Technology Against Crime (TAC) project. The police department will replace out-of-warranty laptop computers in three police cruisers. The project goals are to improve law enforcement services and enhance officer safety by improving the police department's communication capabilities. The police department has 23 Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) that will need to be replaced because of performance and warranty issues. Such computers are not reliable for officers to receive or send information that is needed to safely and efficiently respond to many law enforcement situations. Unreliable MDTs in the city police cars threaten the safety of residents and police officers and decrease police efficiency. MDTs are used by every officer to obtain information regarding every call they respond to.

NCA/NCF