Job retention and equipment upgrades

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 Jones County and the city of Laurel will use their Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $282,185 to purchase vehicles and equipment to enhance their law enforcement capabilities. Jones County, serving as the fiscal agent, will use its share of the grant ($41,975) to purchase a sports utility vehicle for use as a K-9 vehicle to enhance patrol capability, emergency equipment to outfit the vehicle, a mobile radio, and two desk top computers to download and store patrol vehicle video and crime scene photos recorded by deputies. The City of Laurel will use $240,210 to purchase six police package patrol cars, two sport utility vehicles for K-9 interdiction efforts, eight traffic radar units, one passenger van for prisoner transport, one contraband detector for use by the Interdiction Unit, police duty gear, and training equipment.

NCA/NCF