Enhancing Public Safety and Service: Purchasing Critical Law Enforcement Equipment

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The Anderson Police Department and the Madison County Sheriff's Department are disparate units of local government working to reduce crime and crime related problems in the city of Anderson and Madison County, Indiana. Both jurisdictions will use FY 2010 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funding to purchase critical law enforcement equipment. Both jurisdiction have agreed that the Anderson Police Department will purchase a police patrol vehicle with related equipment. The new vehicle will increase officer safety and response time to crime scenes and provide emergency services within the community. The Madison County Sheriff's Department will purchase four mobile DVR systems to be installed in four patrol cars. The purchase and installation of in-car camera systems will increase officer safety and provide video/audio recordings of routine events such as traffic stops to criminal investigations and arrests.

NCA/NCF