Crime Fighting Equipment

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 St. Cloud will use the Recovery Act JAG Funds to allow the St. Cloud Police Department (SCPD) to purchase its share of the cost for a computer system and report writing programs. The SunGard's HTE AS400 computer system and report writing programs are utilized by both SCPD and the Kissimmee Police Department. The project will allow timely exchange of information that is crucial to crime solving, analysis, and reduction. SCPD will be the redundant operating system and the Kissimmee Police Department will be the main system. This arrangement will facilitate timely exchange of information and reduce maintenance costs to both cities. Both agencies will maintain their current systems while querying each other's information. Further, the city of St. Cloud will use the grant funds to purchase law enforcement equipment that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of crime prevention and crime control services provided to the community. The city will use $303.40 for administrative purposes.

NCA/NCF