Polk County FY 2009 Recovery Act 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 city of Des Moines will serve as the fiscal agent and distribute allocations to Polk County and the cities of Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Johnston, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, and West Des Moines. In a disparate situation, the units of local government must apply for an award with a single, joint application. The jurisdictions will implement improvements and enhancements for Polk County law enforcement agencies that will provide equipment addressing officer safety, procedural efficiencies, quality evidence collection, and technology upgrades to further all of the individual public safety missions. Four agencies plan to purchase in-car digital video recording units to increase officer safety, document criminal activity, and identify offenders for criminal prosecution. Evidence drying cabinets, superglue fuming cabinets, and other evidence gathering equipment will improve and enhance the collection of latent fingerprints and the processing of various evidentiary items. Urbandale and West Des Moines will purchase Live Scan stations to increase efficiency in gathering and submitting fingerprints and bring the departments up to state and federal standards. Three departments plan to purchase vehicles for various purposes. Altoona will purchase a pick-up truck for use in evidence transport and in undercover investigations. Ankeny will purchase an ATV for use on their large trail system and in rural parts of the city. Des Moines plans to purchase 10 fully equipped patrol vehicles.

NCA/NCF