FY 2009 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Yakima County, Yakima City, Grandview City, Sunnyside City, Toppenish City, Union Gap City, and Wapato City will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG grant award in the amount of $534,191 to eradicate narcotic trafficking, gang violence, and car thefts. Yakima City serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the JAG award to support a Youth Crime and Graffiti Suppression program. JAG funds will also be used to purchase additional computers and surveillance software. In addition, funds will be used to replace portable radios, notebook computers, digital cameras, and a hostage negotiator phone for SWAT operations. Yakima County will use their share of the JAG award to continue the employment for one security court officer and to also support the employment of two office specialist positions in the Narcotics Unit. Wapato City will use their share of grant funds to support graffiti education programs and to purchase portable radios, computers for patrol vehicles, and officer training. Grandview City will use their share of grant funds to purchase high-entry bullet resistant vests for the Tactical Entry Team. Toppenish City will use their share of grant funds to purchase a surveillance and recording system, interview room camera and recording system, and traffic citation interface that will allow processing of E-Ticket citations. Sunnyside City will use their share of grant funds to upgrade all cameras in the jail facility and to purchase digital video recording systems for high-contact areas. Union Gap will use their share of grant funds to purchase twenty-two microphone recorders, a surveillance camera system, monitors for holding cells and squad rooms, and a computer for storing information.

NCA/NCF