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 Seward County and Liberal City will use their Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award in the amount of $23,944 for a radio equipment upgrade project. Seward County and Liberal City will split the total available amount and purchase new radio equipment. The goals of the project are to make the local officers more efficient and safer in the investigation and apprehension of criminals through the use of technology. The one year grant program plan includes upgrading twenty-three handheld portable radio units and five car radio units to new technology which will allow implementation of GPS tracking, encryption, digital enhancement, and narrow banding. The current radios in use are over eight years old and expected life of those radios is five years.

NCA/NCF