Waco Recovery Act JAG project

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 Waco, McLellan County, city of Bellmeade, and city of Lacy Lakeview have been identified as disparate and will share this Fiscal Year 2009 JAG Recovery award. The city of Waco will serve as the fiscal agent to administer the JAG Recovery funds for all four jurisdictions.

Recovery JAG grant funds will be allocated in the following manner: the city of Waco, through its police department will purchase a mobile robot that provides live video feed for use in hostile or dangerous environments; communication devices for the SWAT unit (tactical headsets); hand-held fingerprint scanner to transmit fingerprint files; hand-held citation software interface and module; various officer equipment and gear (vests, body armor, tasers, radios, etc.); and three patrol vehicles; McLellan County, through its sheriff's office will acquire nine patrol vehicles (with accessories) to replace current, aging/high-mileage vehicles; and security equipment for the inmate video visitation center (cameras, monitors, computers, recorders, etc.); and the city of Bellmeade, through its police department will purchase interior (interview room) and exterior (building exterior) surveillance camera systems and digital in-car video systems; and (4) City of Lacy Lakeview Police Department will upgrade law enforcement technology capabilities by replacing VHS in-car recording systems with digital technology.

NCA/NCF