Bay Minette City 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 city of Bay Minette will use its Recovery Act JAG award to support the Bay Minette Police Department. The Bay Minette Police Department will purchase and install mobile computer units (hardware and software included) in patrol vehicles. The mobile units will host the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC) MOVE Program, along with other law enforcement field applications. The Bay Minette Police Department will collect data on the number of traffic citations issued and criminal investigations solved through the use of the MOVE computer-based program. The goal is to bring a significantly higher level of law enforcement capability to the Bay Minette Police Department to enforce traffic laws and solve crimes within Bay Minette City.

NCA/NCF