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 city of Scottsbluff and the county of Scotts Bluff are disparate jurisdictions and will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award to purchase equipment and furniture for a new facility that will combine the police and fire departments, as well as the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The JAG Recovery Act funds will be used to purchase seven desktop computer systems to replace older systems and 20 license copies of Microsoft Windows 2007 to upgrade the desktop systems within the police and fire departments. The JAG funds will also be used to purchase furniture to furnish offices and classroom spaces within the new facility and to upgrade six of the police department's firing positions to targets capable of turning remotely. These targets will greatly enhance the capabilities of an existing training program.

NCA/NCF