FY 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant Program

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act') and by 42 U.S.C. 3751(a). The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases. The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars.

Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website ' Recovery.gov ' to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds.

The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funded under the Recovery Act is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Recovery JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. Recovery JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

The disparate jurisdictions of the towns of Farmington and Wilton and the county of Franklin will use their joint Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award for law enforcement purposes. The town of Farmington will be the fiscal agent and plans to purchase a Centurion Scout Mobile Security System which is a portable and wireless communication system. They will also purchase bulletproof shields for first responding officers and a portable radar/sign trailer that will be used to communicate a variety of safety issues to the public.

The county of Franklin will use its Recovery Act JAG allocation for crime scene mapping equipment and training for two deputies for Accident Reconstruction and Crime Scene Mapping investigations. The town of Wilton will use its portion of the allocation of JAG funds to purchase software and equipment to upgrade and maintain their mobile data terminal program in front line cruisers. They will also use funds to keep current staffing levels which have been restricted due to budget cuts

NCA/NCF