FY 2009 Edward Byrne Lawton Police Department/Comanche County Equipment Purchase 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of the city of Lawton and Comanche County will use their Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $534,541 to purchase equipment and technologies that will enhance public safety and reduce crime. The city of Lawton, serving as fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant ($465,041) to purchase equipment, such as SWAT trucks and mobile data terminals, which will greatly assist the data sharing information link between field units and the dispatch section. Comanche County will use $69,500 to purchase new cell phones, telephones, and radio boosters to assist them in their interoperable capabilities. Through this project, the city's police department and the county's sheriff department will reduce crime via better evidence collection and preservation, increased training of its personnel, and properly equipping officers to better protect and serve the public.

NCA/NCF