Drug and Violent Criminal Organizations

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 County of Bladen will utilize its FY 2009 Recovery JAG funds to increase law enforcement resources to focus on known and suspected violent criminal/gang organizations and drug trafficking organizations involved in the manufacturing and importation and distribution of illicit drugs into Bladen County.

The project will target those communities and neighborhoods experiencing increased drug/gang related violence and activities that compromise public safety. The focus will be on the methamphetamine labs, stash houses, street level sales, trafficking of firearms and stolen property. This will be accomplished through the use of experienced law enforcement officers, organized as drug and violent crime interdiction teams, working extra hours beyond the normal shift. The teams will focus on targeted neighborhoods and conduct various interdiction tactics aimed at identifying and arresting the traffickers, sellers, and buyers. There are at least ten neighborhoods throughout Bladen County where this project will have a positive impact on the quality of life by stopping or slowing the illicit drug trade and violent crime associated with these criminal organizations.

NCA/NCF