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 Bedford County and the city of Shelbyville city will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $69,863 to support equipment purchases and increase intelligence and communications across the county. Bedford County, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant to purchase equipment for their Crime and Drug Enforcement Program. The city of Shelbyville City will use its portion to upgrade its radio facilities, which will provide the city with coverage in all areas of the county, purchase digital photo cameras to be installed in each police cruiser which will aide the department in investigations of accidents, domestic violence cases, and many other criminal and traffic related cases. The department will also purchase two digital camcorders for two police vehicles. These camcorders will make court cases easier to prosecute and provide protection for officers, as well as the public. In addition, an audio intelligence receiver will be purchased and installed to aid its Criminal Investigation Division. This receiver will assist in facilitating recordings of illegal drug activities without being immediately detected on the scene.

NCA/NCF