FY 2009 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of McCracken County and the city of Paducah will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $149,527 to preserve and improve vitally important equipment and devices essential for law and drug enforcement agencies within the two jurisdictions. The city of Paducah, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant to improve interoperability and coordination between city and county law enforcement agencies by replacing obsolete communication units and purchasing equipment not currently available; to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers by purchasing equipment not currently available to either law enforcement agency at this time; to provide essential devices for traffic enforcement by furnishing patrol units with efficient equipment; and to enable drug enforcement units to be prepared for surveillance by purchasing crucial surveillance equipment. McCracken County will use its share of the grant to purchase and install interoperable radios in all marked vehicles for all uniformed officers.

NCA/NCF