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 Burlington and Des Moines County will use the Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $145,351 towards narcotics task force and communications equipment. Both jurisdictions will use a total of $29,070 to fund three investigators and one supervisor from the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force (SEINT), a multi-jurisdictional operation designed to reduce both the supply and demand for controlled substances through legal, educational, and investigative means. The city of Burlington, serving as the fiscal agent, will share the remaining amount of $116,281 with Des Moines County to upgrade equipment in the county-wide communication center. The Des Moines County Communication Center, operated by the Burlington Police Department, will replace an outdated phone system, communication radios, and recording equipment.

NCA/NCF