Enforcement 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 disparate jurisdictions of Scott County and Waldron City will use their FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG funds to purchase equipment and supplies that will improve and increase the number of successful criminal convictions and prosecutions. Waldron City will be the fiscal agent for this grant. Scott County supports the full allocation to be utilized by Waldron City. The equipment to be purchased includes five in-car digital video systems and six portable breath alcohol testing units. The goals of this project are to document offenses and improve prosecution for the Waldron Police Department with the use of in-car digital video systems, to assist officer arrests by having portable breath alcohol testing units in each patrol car, and to increase each officer's efficiency and ability to collect and document evidence for successful prosecution and generate fine revenue that supports the department.

NCA/NCF