2010 City of South Bend Collaborative Equipment and Technology Initiative

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 city of South Bend in conjunction with the city of Mishawaka and St. Joseph County, as parts of a disparate jurisdiction, are sharing the Fiscal Year 2010 JAG award in the amount of $181,683. All parties involved have agreed to the following distribution of funds: South Bend Police Department $132,645; Mishawaka Police Department $29,038; and St. Joseph County Police Department $20,000. JAG funds allocated to each department will be used to purchase law enforcement equipment to improve officer safety, and increase productivity through evidence based and data driven methods of combating crime. The South Bend Police Department will purchase in-car camera systems to decrease litigation from fraudulent complaints against officers. The Mishawaka Police Department and St. Joseph County Police Department will procure mobile laptop computers to provide officers access to updated information on calls for service where there are known safety risks and obtain information from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) on driving violations and outside jurisdiction warrants for wanted persons.

NCA/NCF