METHUEN, CITY OF
The grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The stated purposes of the Recovery are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases. The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars. Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website - recovery.gov - to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds. The Justice Assistance Grant Program funded under the Recovery Act is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Recovery JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment and justice information sharing initiatives. Recovery JAG funded projects may address crime through he provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes and procedures. The city of Methuen will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to support the Methuen Police Department's radio communications and interoperability system. In order to improve and meet Federal Communications Commission mandated requirements, the police department will purchase 35 portable radios and related equipment needed for first responding officers. The current cache of portable radios are not narrowband capable. This upgrade will help provide improved law enforcement services to the citizens of Methuen.