Recovery Act JAG 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 Russellville and Franklin County will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to support the Russellville Police Department and the Franklin County Sheriff's Department. The grant funds will be used for installation of a security system for Russellville City Police Department and Mobile Data Terminals for Franklin County Sheriff's Department. The Russellville Police Department City Jail currently has no security measures in place, other than the presence of officers and employees in the building. The funds will be used to purchase electronic door locks and a digital recordable camera system that will allow the dispatcher to control access to the building and be able to monitor activities that go on outside of their field of view. This system will increase the safety of the officers, employees, and the inmates that are housed at the Russellville City Jail. The Franklin County Sheriff's Department is replacing Mobile Data Terminals in their patrol vehicles. The existing mobile data terminals are obsolete and outdated. The new terminals will allow deputies access to maps, calls for service, warrants, and incident/offence report programs in the patrol vehicle. The terminals will also allow dispatch to identify the patrol unit closest to a call for service. Dispatch will then be able to send the closest unit to the call. This will provide service to the citizens of Franklin County in a timely and efficient manner.

NCA/NCF