Law Enforcement Equipment Project

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 Mississippi County and the cities of Blytheville, Osceola, and Gosnell will use the JAG Recovery Act funds ($201,710) to provide officers with the necessary tools to be professional servants to their communities with emphasis being placed on the safety of the officer and the public. Mississippi County, serving as fiscal agent, will use their share of the grant ($85,167) to purchase in-car video cameras, tasers, computer equipment, firearms, cameras, and tactical equipment. The city of Gosnell will use their share of the grant ($12,310) to purchase three desktop computers, one laptop with software, ten radio pagers, and digital cameras. The city of Osceola will use their share of the grant ($52,451) to purchase patrol cameras, tasers, and breath analysis machines. The city of Blytheville will use their share of the grant ($51,782) to purchase in-car video cameras, digital crime scene cameras, and portable and fixed alcohol testing equipment.

NCA/NCF