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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Pearsall city and Frio County will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $12,039 to successfully integrate the law enforcement agencies in Frio County, specifically the Pearsall Police Department, into a statewide real-time law enforcement information sharing network. The city of Pearsall, serving as fiscal agent, and all agencies on the system will share information through the COPsync database and have the ability to populate data to their existing computer record management systems. Funding would be used to equip two patrol vehicles with vehicle-rugged laptop computers, computer mounts, laptop cradles, antennas, and printers. The result will be the combined benefits of additional border safety through information sharing, vast amounts of information and statistical data for border security operations, a proactive response from law enforcement, and enhanced safety and efficiency for the personnel of the Pearsall Police Department.

NCA/NCF