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 Tucson, serving as the fiscal agent for this award, will share the Recovery Act JAG funds with five disparate jurisdictions within Pima County. In a disparate situation, the units of local government must apply for an award with a single, joint application. Each jurisdiction's allocation will be used for activities and projects that will provide meaningful and measurable outcomes consistent with the goals of the Recovery Act to include: purchasing a new computer aided dispatch and police records management systems; purchasing a liquid chromatograph and mass spectrometer for the Tucson Police Department; hiring nine Pima County criminal prosecutors who will focus on violent crimes; purchasing equipment for training and ensuring the safety of South Tucson Police Department officers; replacing aging computers and monitors and providing licenses for upgrading the e-mail system of the South Tucson Police Department; purchasing security equipment for an Oro Valley Police Department substation; purchasing a police cruiser for the city of South Tucson and a police motorcycle for the town of Marana; and purchasing tactical flashlights and radios with related accessories such as battery packs, microphones, and chargers for police officers of the town of Sahuarita.

NCA/NCF