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 county of Jefferson will use its Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $36,281 to provide emergency law enforcement personnel with the labor costs and equipment for the outfitting and upgrading of a pull-behind trailer that they already own. The sheriff's department plans on converting it into a Mobil Emergency Operations Center (E.O.C.) Trailer. The E.O.C. trailer will be used in many functions that not only support search and rescue, but also support major criminal investigations, community functions, and natural disasters. The funds will also be used to purchase all emergency equipment and labor costs to outfit two new patrol cars. The outfitting of their patrol cars is crucial in being able to provide law enforcement with the equipment to get their deputies to calls safely. Additionally, three emergency radios for both the E.O.C. trailer and patrol cars will be purchased with the funds. The radio equipment is needed and crucial for their deputies in both emergency and non-emergency situations. The radios will be placed in the E.O.C. trailer and patrol cars.

NCA/NCF