City of Austin and Travis County FY14 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program

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 program 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 Austin and Travis County have been identified as disparate jurisdictions and will share the Fiscal Year 2014 JAG award. The city of Austin will serve as the fiscal agent and use its portion of funds for law enforcement equipment, focusing on unmet needs within the specialty areas of traffic and intelligence-led policing. The Travis County's share of the JAG funds will be used by the Travis County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) to purchase officer personal protective equipment, first responder medical equipment, rifles, and automated external defibrillators. The goals of both projects are to implement several equipment projects and to improve the local criminal justice system. These goals will be accomplished by focusing on the objectives of building capacity through the purchase of critical equipment and ensuring the proper use, tracking, and maintenance of grant-funded equipment. NCA/NCF