Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $287,969)
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.
Adams County will use its Recovery Act JAG funding to support multiple projects within the agency as well as two multi-jurisdictional task forces in which the agency is involved. With current budgetary constraints and reduced funding resources, the intention is to supply financial assistance for several areas of need. These areas include the North Metro Task Force and Metro Gang Task Force, Sheriff's Law Enforcement Academy, victim notification system, community resource team, and records management system equipment upgrade. The Recovery Act JAG funding for these projects will reduce the financial impact on the local county government. Funding requested for the Metro Gang Task Force and North Metro Task Force will be directly distributed to those entities to support shortfalls in funding sources. The Sheriff's Law Enforcement Academy trains officers for Colorado POST certification so the funding will help replace the computers used by the cadets. The Victim Notification system is a result of changes in Colorado law and would be considered an unfunded mandate. Funding will be used to directly pay the sheriff's office costs related to the newly acquired system. The Community Resource Team began with the goal of reducing crime in Adams County. Funding will be used to purchase new equipment not presently funded in the operating budget. Finally, the I/LEADS system in patrol vehicles allows deputies direct access to integrated police records management. In order to operate effectively, some older computer equipment will be replaced.
NCA/NCF