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 Fountain Inn, through the Fountain Inn Police Department, will use its Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award to purchase a speed measuring trailer and patrol rifles for officers to use in tactical situations. The Fountain Inn Police Department will purchase a speed measuring trailer. This trailer will be placed in various locations throughout the city. The trailer will give Fountain Inn Police Department data that can be used to provide informative reviews to its citizens, thus allowing the Fountain Inn Police Department to place officers in problem areas in the city. The information collected through this trailer can also be used to justify further hiring of new officers. The police department will purchase patrol rifles for officers to use in tactical situations. With the increasing number of violent offenders that have possession of high powered weapons, these new weapons will allow the officers to better protect the citizens and visitors of their city, as well protect the officers involved.

NCA/NCF