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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of the city of Colorado Springs and El Paso County will share the Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $1,957,784, with the city serving as the fiscal agent. The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) will use their portion towards hiring personnel and upgrading its Records Management System (RMS). CSPD will create four full-time positions within the Community Service Officer (CSO) Program. These CSOs will handle primarily not in-progress calls that do not involve viable suspect information or injuries. Funds will be used to purchase radios, uniforms, and personal safety equipment for the CSOs as well. An upgraded RMS will be purchased to store computerized records of crime incident reports and other law enforcement data. This RMS upgrade will increase the justice information between CSPD and other local, state and federal partners. El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) will use their portion of the JAG award to fund information technology improvements. Specifically, funds will be used for mobile data computers in patrol vehicles, an upgrade to the forensic computer laboratory, software allowing citizens to report crimes on-line, vehicle-mounted radar systems, and personal two-way emergency alarm systems for a detention facility will allow employees of the CSPD and the EPSO to work more efficiently and provide essential services.

NCA/NCF