Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $119,821)
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 West Helena will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to support the West Helena Police Derpartment (WHPD) with police officer salaries, trainers, and equipment enhancement. The WHPD will fund one year of salaries and benefits for two new police officers and two part-time law enforcement trainers, and purchase four bullet proof vests, two radars, two surveillance cameras, two breath analyzers, one printer, one laptop, and presentation equipment. The City of West Helena and Phillips County will coordinate systems and projects to meet the law enforcement and criminal justice technology needs of the community. Phillips County will not receive any money but will remain a partner in the award.
NCA/NCF