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 Washoe County and the cities of Reno and Sparks will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $1,101,607 to support personnel and equipment purchases. The Reno Police Department, serving as fiscal agent, will use $440,000 to create two new part-time positions in the Crime Analysis Unit to improve statistical data review; update ten mobile data terminals for officers in the field; acquire ten radio tracking devices for repeat offenders; and purchase digital forensic equipment to extract evidence from seized computers. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office will use $440,000 to fund the retention of a deputy position dedicated to their Kids and Seniors Korner Community Outreach program; installation of a new booking and release system; on-call pay for the Washoe County District Attorney; and overtime and backfill pay to support field operations, law enforcement investigations, and patrol and detention operations. The Sparks Police Department will use $221,607 to purchase an automated report writing system for officers, a crime view system to analyze data and share it with their citizens, and special tactical patrol kits to enhance officer safety in the field.

NCA/NCF