2009 Mobile Area Law Enforcement Initiative

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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Mobile County and the cities of Mobile, Chickasaw, Bayou La Batre, Prichard, and Saraland will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to support the 2009 Mobile Area Law Enforcement Initiative. The Mobile County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) will purchase a police cruiser and radios to continue providing emergency response for the 400,000 residents of Mobile County. The Mobile Police Department will purchase and install equipment in various areas of the Mobile Police Department to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness with technological advances currently available. The Chickasaw Police Department will use funds to replace worn-out and obsolete equipment and create a standardization of equipment for the department. The funds will be used to purchase standardized uniforms and equipment for each officer. The Bayou La Batre Police Department will use the funds to outfit the vehicles in the patrol division with laptop computers and software. The Prichard Police Department will purchase two police cruisers, four Mobile 800 MHz Radios, and 15 Portable 800 MHz Radios. The Saraland Police Department will modernize the city's police vehicles, particularly the patrol units. Funds will be used to place laptop computers in 10 of the patrol units.

NCA/NCF