2009 Recovery Act JAG Equipment Enhancement 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Rutherford County, the Town of Smyrna, and the cities of LaVergne and Murfreesboro, will use their Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $538,165 to support personnel, equipment purchases, and communication enhancements. The county of Rutherford, serving as the fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant ($218,891) to provide training and equipment for 15 deputies, and purchase 15 custom in-car cameras and 60 Automatic Electronic Defibrillators. The town of Smyrna will apply their share ($59,105.00) of this award to upgrade its records management and communication systems through the purchase of NaviLine software and the provision of training. The city of LaVergne will use its ($68,186) to lease communications services from the Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County government, and for communication systems upgrades. The city of Murfreesboro will use its share of funding ($191,983) to purchase two fully equipped patrol units. In addition, the Murfreesboro Police department will purchase 18 sets of issued equipment for certified police officers.

NCA/NCF