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Fremont County Combined Investigation Teams Technology Improvement Project

Award Information

Awardee
Award #
2009-SB-B9-2479
Location
Awardee County
Fremont
Congressional District
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2009
Total funding (to date)
$100,654

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $100,654)

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.

As joint applicants for this grant, Canon City and Fremont County will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to enhance the Combined Investigation Response Team (CIRT) operations. Grant funds will be spent on communication and computer network technology, which will significantly improve agency interoperability between the city police department and the county sheriff's department. In March 2009, the law enforcement components of the team took another significant step in their efforts by combining offices into one building annex. Within the Annex, detectives from the different agencies have been paired to work together on cases from their respective jurisdictions. The largest portion of the funds will be used to install a point to point extended range external antenna link between the Annex and the main Canon City Police Department and Fremont County Sheriff's Department facilities. By doing this, CIRT members will be able to integrate with each agency's information technology systems, whether working from the office or from remote locations, in a more efficient way than is currently available. Another portion of the funds will be used to improve equipment available to the line-level officers and deputies working in collaboration with CIRT operations. Specifically, the Annex includes an area for patrol officers/deputies to complete reports, book defendants, attend training, and complete other business without having to return to their primary departments. Until now, funding has not been available to completely equip those areas, so the JAG grant dollars will be used to purchase training and conference room equipment, booking/reporting writing equipment, and interview room furnishings. Finally, a portion of grant funds will be allocated specifically to the Fremont County Sheriff's Department to purchase bullet resistant vests for several patrol deputies. The warranties on most of the vests are due to expire.

NCA/NCF

Date Created: July 8, 2009