Equipment Upgrade 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 the city of Montgomery and Montgomery County will use the $862,549 in Recovery Act JAG funds to support the Montgomery Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The grant funds will be used to provide repairs and upgrades to equipment for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Montgomery Municipal Jail, and the Montgomery Police Department. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Department will purchase a police cruiser to be used by School Resource Officers in the Montgomery County School System. In addition, the funds will be used to purchase vehicle computer equipment, digital dashboard cameras with installation, digital camera microphones, radios, and radio equipment. The Montgomery Police Department will use the funds to purchase digital vehicle cameras for the fleet of marked cars and motorcycles and AR-15 Rifles and vehicle racks to equip all marked patrol vehicles. The Montgomery Municipal Jail will use the funds to fortify jail doors for the safety of officers and inmates. The radio equipment will enhance communication, especially for units in rural areas.

NCA/NCF