Recovery Act JAG 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 Rutland, through the police department, will use their Recovery Act JAG for overtime and equipment purchases. The overtime and equipment purchases will allow the police department to continue with their proactive community policing approach. The requested overtime will begin immediately by conducting proactive and reactive enforcement activities to deter and interdict criminal activities leading to arrests of criminal violators and community policing related activities. The overtime will help keep law enforcement on the job longer to conduct surveillances, criminal interdiction activities, search warrants, raids, and arrest activities beyond normal work hours. The overtime is needed to enhance their present efforts and to maintain their existing work force. Law enforcement professionals who receive overtime will help to revitalize the local economy through their purchases of goods and services in their community and in surrounding communities. The types of equipment to be purchased include communications equipment, surveillance, investigation equipment, systems hardware and software, security devices, and personal protection equipment.

NCA/NCF