Phenix City and Russell County Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of the city of Phenix and Russell County will share the Recovery Act JAG award in support of the Phenix City Police Department and the Russell County Sheriff's Office. The city of Phenix will serve as the fiscal agent managing the Recovery Act JAG funds. The Phenix City Police Department (PCPD) and the Russell County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) will use the use the grant funds to procure in-car digital recording devices. PCPD will install the digital recording devices in police cruisers, and RCSO will install them in deputy patrol vehicles. The goals are to: provide for video documentation of traffic stops in an effort to provide the local court system with evidence; better equip current vehicles to meet the rising demand for technology related evidence; provide for the safest possible work environment for PCPD officers and RCSO deputies; create and retain jobs through the ability to accommodate officer needs for patrol cars; keep up with the rising demand for law enforcement patrols and quick response; and to fully equip law enforcement so that they can be as valuable as possible to the citizens of Russell County. Through the Recovery Act JAG funds, the city of Phenix and Russell County will educate and train law enforcement in how to most effectively use this technology.

NCA/NCF