2012 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG grant

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).

This JAG award will be used by the city of Allentown and county of Lehigh to equip 16 marked police cruisers with a more modern state of the art Mobile Data Transmitter system capable of bringing live data to officer's fingertips. The Police Department anticipates that the Mobile Data Transmitters (MDTs) will greatly enhance community policing efforts by making crime trends and crime mapping available at the officers fingerprints in a real time display. Additionally, funds will be used to enhance the CompStat process which takes place in by-weekly meetings among the police administration and police service area captains. CompStat employs geographic information systems to map crime and identify problem areas. It is with this information that the police administration and police service area captains devise strategies and tactics to solve problems, reduce crime, and ultimately improve the quality of life in their assigned areas.
NCA/NCF