Recovery 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 Dona Ana County and the city of Las Cruces will share the Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $447,870, with the city serving as the fiscal agent. The city of Las Cruces will use their allocation to purchase a Mobile Operations Center (MOC) for the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD). The MOC will support tactical and critical incident responses, provide an alternate dispatch center, and be used in neighborhoods to enhance community policing strategies. A regional tactical response vehicle will be purchased for the LCPD to transport members of first response teams and their equipment to perform critical support in man-made and natural emergency events. Additional purchases include mobile surveillance equipment for southern border monitoring and intelligence gathering activities; an on-line reporting system that will provide the public with an alternative to reporting minor crimes; and necessary ammunition for rifles. Dona Ana County will use their portion to purchase new weapons and ammunition for the Dona Ana Sheriff's Office. In addition, 100 taser cams and 26 tasers will be purchased to reduce the necessity of using deadly force.

NCA/NCF