Yuma Regional Intelligence and Information Sharing 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Yuma County and the cities of Yuma and Somerton will share the Recovery Act JAG award and use the funds to purchase computer hardware and software and install security cameras. Yuma County will use their share of the JAG award to provide the county sheriff's office patrol vehicles with accessibility to other Arizona law enforcement agencies and all related criminal information by purchasing computer hardware, software, and related licensing for their existing mobile data computers. The city of Somerton will install security cameras in strategic locations in city parks. The city of Yuma will use their funds to provide city patrol officers with mobile data computers. All three related projects will significantly increase each jurisdiction's capabilities to deter criminals, apprehend suspects, and provide accurate information to the patrol officers in the field.

NCA/NCF