Enhanced Law Enforcement 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 county of Monroe will share its Fiscal Year 2009 funds with two jurisdictions in a collaborative effort to benefit the county of Monroe. The three jurisdictions will utilize $129,110 to implement the Edward Byrne Memorial JAG Enhanced Law Enforcement Program. The county of Monroe will utilize $56,099 to purchase equipment with the intent of increasing general investigative effectiveness and efficiency of operations and prosecutions, enhance efficiency for drug task force operations, and improve safety and security for county detectives. The Stroud Township, Stroud Area Regional Police Department's (SARP), will utilize $58,986 to purchase equipment with the intent of increasing effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement operations, prosecution, and court proceedings and increasing response time when utilizing the Armored Personnel Carrier. The Pocono Township, Pocono Township Police, will utilize $14,025 to increase effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement operations and purchase Wireless Broadband air cards to improve officer efficiency.

NCA/NCF