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 Lake County and the cities of East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, and Merrillville will use their Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award in the amount of $366,322 to support the needs of the local law enforcement agencies in the areas of overtime, equipment, supplies, and information systems. These funds will assist in the prevention and control of crime, and also to improve the criminal justice system. The East Chicago and Merrillville Police Departments have determined that they will use their funding for overtime. The Hammond Police Department will obtain surveillance cameras and accessories to serve as crime deterrents. The Hobart Police Department will use funds to acquire a myriad of law enforcement tools that are essential to the Department. Finally, the Gary Police Department will acquire four All Terrain Vehicles and four Segways. The ATVs will be used in search and rescue exercises along the substantial Lake Michigan lakefront as well as hilly forested areas adjoining beaches and lakefront residences. The Gary Police Department will also use funds to enhance the investigations of both Internal Affairs and the Detective Bureaus by obtaining voice stress analyzer units which the department has used with considerable success in previous years.

NCA/NCF