Justice Assistance Grant FY2009

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.

Selinsgrove Borough and Synder County will be using their 2009 JAG Recovery funds to
support the hiring of 6 COPS program patrol officers for the Borough of Selinsgrove. This will includes uniforms, gear, weapons, and radios. In addition, the funds will support the retention of the county DARE officer program for Selinsgrove School District to include equipment, material, and overtime; support the retention of the county narcotics canine program for Snyder County in association with the Selinsgrove Police Department; support the Susquehanna Valley Regional Special Emergency Response Team, so as to retain positions in that team through re-allocation of funding; increase the Selinsgrove Police Department's emergency response capacity through equipment upgrades in regards to active shooter situations; increase the Selinsgrove Police Department's operational capacity through specific training initiatives in the area of active shooter and emergency management; and, support technical upgrades of the police department through continued mobile computerization and communications equipment.

NCA/NCF