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 Bethlehem, acting as the fiscal agent, will share $354,538 in Recovery Act JAG funds with Northampton County and five other municipalities in the county. The city of Bethlehem will use its share of funds ($172,216) to purchase computers, police bicycles and related equipment, and new features for the CODY Systems computer-aided dispatch and record management systems. They will reinstate the Mounted Unit and fund overtime patrols of parks and schools. The city of Easton will use their share of funds ($102,711) to purchase portable radios, a speed display board, and a police mountain bike with accessories and gear. Bethlehem Township will use their share ($24,750) to purchase a 2009 Ford E150 Cargo Van equipped with emergency audible and visual signals. Northampton County will use their share ($17,118) to purchase tasers. The borough of Bangor will use their share of funds ($13,818) to purchase shotguns, fraudulent document investigative equipment, evidence and property management equipment, driver license reading equipment, a Dell 4210X DLP projector, the Fatal Vision starter kit, and Red Man gear. The Lower Saucon Township will use their share ($12,169) to purchase tasers and a vehicle repeater system and send an officer to the Taser Train-the-Trainer course. The borough of Hellertown will use their share ($11,756) to purchase investigative equipment, training supplies, fund additional extra patrols, and provide training.

NCA/NCF