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.

Orange County and the cities of Middletown, Monroe, Newburgh, Port Jervis, Newburgh Town, New Windsor, and Wallkill will use Recovery Act funds in the amount of $406,267 to support initiatives that will enable each jurisdiction's law enforcement departments to work more efficiently by providing personnel with the tools they need to prevent and control crime in the community. The County, serving as the fiscal agent, will use its share to purchase GPS units and associated software for law enforcement patrol vehicles. The city of Newburgh Police Department will apply funds towards surveillance cameras, fees for rented vehicles to be used in undercover investigations, the purchase of an unmarked vehicle for surveillance operations, a bar coding system for tracking of evidence, and a Live Scan fingerprint system. The city of Middletown will use its portion to purchase computers and crime analysis software and hardware for its Police Department. The city of Port Jervis Police Department will use its share for officer overtime associated with enforcement details targeting illicit narcotics activity and street crime. The town of Newburgh will use funds to purchase computer equipment for its Police Department. The town of Wallkill will use funds to purchase a mobile license plate scanner. The town of New Windsor will apply funds towards police officer overtime. Remaining funds will be used by the village of Monroe to replace its Police Department's law records server. The current economic environment has put a strain on police agencies and emergency services within Orange County. The Recovery Act funded projects will ensure these essential services continue to be provided.

NCA/NCF