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 the county of Johnson and the cities of Greenwood and Franklin will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $182,923 to purchase law enforcement equipment. The county of Johnson, serving as the fiscal agent for this award, will use their share of the funds to purchase tasers, stab vest, pepper-ball gun, batons, gas gun, Seer riot helmets, knee and elbow pads, a Paraben Forensics Cell Phone Kit, watch guard digital video cameras, portable breath test devices, stop sticks, mouth pieces for portable breath test device, and cameras for the jail and the Investigation and Enforcement Divisions. The city of Greenwood will use their share of the funds to purchase tactical vests and helmets, tactical shields, tactical rifles, audio/video recorder with officer safety, transmitter, and A4 patrol rifles for the police department. The city of Franklin will use their share of the funds to purchase laser technology, radios, night visions, forensic computers, LED light kits, microscope, camcorder and lens, camera and supported accessories, tear gas launcher, rifles, and a MSA thermal imager for the police department.

NCA/NCF