FY 2009 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 city of Grover Beach will use the FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG award to establish a citywide community sector problem solving program, build additional neighborhood watch groups, build a community-based graffiti abatement team, work with service organizations for assistance with community problems, and increase coordination with local and governmental agencies to solve quality of life issues within the community. Specifically, funds will be used towards police officer overtime on special projects within the community such as increasing neighborhood watch programs and education programs. In order to better equip the graffiti abatement team, a generator and power washer to help clean up graffiti areas will be purchased. Also, an unmarked police vehicle for drug surveillance operations, ballistic shields to help protect officers during narcotic search warrants, and audio-visual equipment for the multi-purpose training and briefing room that hosts team briefings prior to raids will be purchased for the police department's special enforcement team.

NCA/NCF