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FY 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant Program

Award Information

Award #
2009-SB-B9-1430
Location
Awardee County
Elkhart
Congressional District
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2009
Total funding (to date)
$264,810

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $264,810)

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 Elkhart County and the cities of Elkhart and Goshen will use Recovery Act JAG funding in the amount of $264,810 to purchase essential law enforcement equipment. Specifically, the county, serving as the fiscal agent, will use its portion of the grant to purchase digital cameras, light bars with arrow sticks, and sirens for its Sheriff's Department vehicles. The city of Elkhart will purchase patrol vehicle equipment, including graphics, vehicle criminal investigation equipment, vehicle camera systems, and mini laptops. The city of Goshen will use remaining funds to purchase patrol vehicle video systems, speed guns plus radars for traffic enforcement, fingerprint equipment, and a metal detector. Because of the current state of the economy, the proposed initiatives would not have been possible if not for the assistance of the Recovery Act funding.

NCA/NCF

Date Created: July 19, 2009