City of Eden 800 MHz Interoperability Project

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 Eden and the Eden Police Department will utilize their FY 2009 Recovery JAG funds to purchase 18 handheld portable 800 MHz radios and place them in the field to help implement their move toward interoperability with other emergency agencies. The City of Eden's goal is to have the radios working in the field within two months of purchase.

Currently, the construction of four 800 MHz towers has been completed in the county and are operational. They are located in Reidsville, Eden, Western Rockingham County, and Wentworth. The towers are currently on line and accessible to any police, fire, or EMS agency in Rockingham County. These entities are all eligible to begin using the system when their necessary hardware, software, and other radio equipment is purchased and is operational. The ability to participate in the 800 MHz system for many agencies is a matter of funding. Each agency will be required to purchase any necessary radios required to access the system.

NCA/NCF