Meridan City Joint Recovery Act JAG 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 city of Meridian and the county of Lauderdale will share their $257,141 Recovery Act JAG award in support of the Meridian Police Department and the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office. The Meridian Police Department will serve as the fiscal agent managing the Recovery Act JAG funds. They will purchase new fully equipped police patrol vehicles and a new Central Processing Unit (CPU) for the police station camera security system. The Meridian Police Department will fund overtime hours to increase patrol areas of the city where crimes such as burglaries, robberies, drug dealing, and auto thefts are high. The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office will purchase patrol vehicles and portable radios to enhance their ability to patrol and respond to calls for service in their community. The Recovery Act JAG funds will support the needs of the local law enforcement agencies, assist in the prevention and control of crime, and improve the criminal justice system.

NCA/NCF