Law Enforcement Improvements and Equipment Projects

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 Pitt County and the city of Greenville will use their Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $490,323 to purchase equipment and technology that will be used to enhance police services, increase efficiency, reduce crime, and enhance community-oriented policing. The city of Greenville, serving as the fiscal agent, will use $340,660 to purchase 24 vehicle cameras and recorders, a UV-IR forensic digital camera for use as a crime scene investigational tool, two vehicles for patrol use, 10 neighborhood cameras, a GPS tracking system to track high profile drug offenders, equipment for the Com Stat meeting room, phone data extraction equipment and software, a down flow workstation vent hood for the processing of evidence, an information monitoring system for the police lobby, and equipment and supplies for the Police Athletic League program. Pitt County will use $149,654 to purchase five patrol vehicles and eight mobile computers to be placed in existing or new patrol vehicles.

NCA/NCF