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.

Bristol County, serving as the fiscal agent for this award, will share the Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award with fifteen disparate jurisdictions within Bristol County. The overall project goals are keeping police officers and staff employed, restoring eliminated positions in local government, stabilizing local police budgets, and avoiding reductions in essential services. The Bristol County Sheriff's Office will use grant funds for grant administration purposes. The city of Attleboro will use its share to assist in keeping one police officer employed for one year. The city of Fall River will use its share to restore eight police officer positions and purchase equipment. The city of New Bedford will use its share to hire two police officers for three years and purchase equipment. The city of Taunton will use its share of funding for gang, gun, and drug investigations and equipment. The town of Acushnet will use its share for the purchase of a police vehicle. The town of Dartmouth will use its share to purchase police cruisers and an electronic fingerprinting system. The town of Fairhaven will use its share to restore three eliminated part-time dispatcher positions. The town of Freetown will use its share to provide training to police officers. The town of Mansfield will use its share to purchase equipment and implement training for police officers. The town of North Attleboro will use its share to purchase equipment. The town of Raynham will use its share to purchase equipment and technology. The town of Seekonk will use funds to upgrade their computers and puchase technology equipment. The town of Somerset will use its share to purchase equipment and replace one police cruiser. The town of Swansea will use its share to retain one job for half a year. The town of Westport will use its share to purchase a police cruiser.

NCA/NCF