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 city of Council Bluffs, serving as the fiscal agent for this grant award, will share the Recovery Act JAG funds will the city of Carter Lake and Pottawattamie County. The city of Council Bluffs Police Department has recently completed a training center that is used by at least 27 state, local, and federal agencies. The city will use the grant funds to purchase a large wrestling mat, training suits, Smart Boards, and a FATS firearms training unit. The city will also use the grant funds to replace all of its Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) in their police cruisers. In addition to the MDTs, these terminals will be loaded with Field Based Reporting software. The city will also hire a polygraph examiner. This grant will pay for the examiner's training. Remaining training funds will be used for supervisory training. The department hasn't had the funds to send any supervisors to management training in at least 10 years.

Pottawattamie County, through the Sheriff's Office, will use their share of the grant funds to purchase technology, equipment, and training for their deputies.

The city of Carter Lake, through the city police department, will use their share of the grant funds to purchase police equipment. The department plans to purchase a FATS machine, several shotguns, a DVD camcorder, and flashlights.

NCA/NCF