Improving Department Efficiency

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 Merced Police Department will use the FY 2012 JAG funds to hire part-time personnel to assist with the processing of property/evidence in the Investigations Unit. Additional part-time personnel will be hired to prioritize and process cold cases. The Investigations Unit is facing increasing Part 1 crimes and decreasing clearance rates on Part 1 crimes. Time is a valuable resource that the sworn detectives are finding hard to allocate equitably among their caseloads. Remaining JAG funds will be used to send personnel of the Crime Analyst Unit to much needed trainings and conferences.

NCA/NCF