Bennington Police Communications and Investigations Project

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 Bennington Police Department (BPD) will use FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG funds to enhance the ability of the agency to gain, transmit, document, and store information and evidence in order to improve the abilities of the officers to conduct investigations, gather intelligence, and prepare cases for prosecution. The objectives used to obtain the goal will be the purchase of new, upgraded technology specifically used for communications and investigations, and using overtime to target identified issues with drugs and gangs. Cruiser cameras and mobile data terminals (MDTs) will be purchased to assist the officers in both communication and evidence documentation and preservation. A cell monitoring system will be purchased to enable dispatchers to track activity in the holding cells for both prisoner and officer safety. A portion of the funds will also go towards officer overtime for directed patrols in problem areas identified by BPD management.

NCA/NCF