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 city of Petaluma intends to use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $103,332 to help preserve police staffing at the Petaluma Police Department. The department will purchase two American-made police vehicles and equipment to outfit the vehicles. One police vehicle will be used to diversify the Petaluma Police Department's Traffic Unit and allow the Traffic Unit for the first time to perform Commercial Vehicle Enforcement. This will allow the police department to retain a traffic officer to increase general fund revenue through fines. The city will reduce the amount of property damage caused by commercial vehicles to roadways, light poles, signs, and fire hydrants directly related to vehicles being off of designated truck routes or by being overloaded.

The second vehicle purchased will allow the police department to add another police canine to the Patrol Unit. The K-9 Unit will expand their enforcement into illegal drug sales and distribution. The K-9 Unit will be able to develop an interdiction program to target the distribution of illegal drugs being transported nationally by way of U.S. Highway 101. This increased interdiction has the potential to preserve a police officer position within the city through fines and seizures of cash and property from narcotics dealers and transporters.

NCA/NCF