Topeka Community Policing Expansion Project

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 of the city of Topeka and Shawnee County will use the FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $551,310 to create jobs at the local police department and purchase law enforcement equipment to improve policing services, reduce the level of criminal activity in Topeka and Shawnee County, and improve the quality of security provided by correctional officers in the delivery of detention services. These jurisdictions plan to use funding to equip seven new officers, increase the number of deployed community police officers, upgrade the video surveillance in correctional facilities, upgrade the local 911 telephone system, and purchase a vehicle for a deputy assigned to the ATF Task Force.

NCA/NCF