Automated Electronic Traffic Citation 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 Vero Beach will use Recovery Act JAG funds in the amount of $34,665 to facilitate the implementation of the Police Department's Automated Electronic Traffic Citation Program. The program aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of current processes by eliminating the manual writing of citations. This will ultimately decrease the length of time officers spend on the roadside where passing vehicles pose an inherent risk to the officer's and other motorists' safety. Through the grant, specialized equipment that will enable officers to quickly scan a violator's license to extract necessary information and electronically print a citation will be purchased. The acquisition of this technology will help preserve the jobs of the department's computer systems analyst and other support personnel who will be given additional responsibilities for the implementation, training, and maintenance of the new equipment.

NCA/NCF