Department of Justice

Columbia is slated to receive $597,483 in formula allocations through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). These funds must be used to purchase police equipment, supplies, contractual support, information systems, training, technical assistance, and other activities that improve law enforcement. Therefore, the Columbia Police Department has indicated it will use these funds for the following:

• Conductive Energy Weapons (to provide officers with an additional, less-than-lethal use of force option)
• T3 Mobile (3-wheeled vehicles to provide foot patrol officers with increased access to, and mobility within, the community)
• Fully equipped, police patrol bicycles
• Ruggedized laptop computers (to allow officers in patrol vehicles to complete Field Base Reports that flow into the Records Management System)
• Digital in-car video camera systems (to record patrol events for evidence in court proceedings)
• Supply items, such as training periodicals and daily used items
• Training uniforms for new police recruits
• Physical agility testing for new police recruits
• Community recruitment (to advertise recruitment incentives and start a community recruiter program)
• Specialized training for sworn personnel

Because these funds are allocated for capital expenditures, the Columbia Police Department can keep its other funds focused on its operational costs, which stabilizes its existing work force. Without these ARRA funds, 2 full-time officer positions would possibly have been eliminated, creating a void not only within the department but also within the community.

These capital expenditures will also have a positive impact on jobs outside of the Columbia Police Department. The local economy would benefit as the bicycles, the supplies, the uniforms, the agility testing, and the specialized training would be bid to and provided by local vendors. These additional purchases could translate into additional work and, consequently, into additional jobs for these local vendors. The purchase of the other items, while not to local merchants, still benefits the country's overall economy in the same manner.

The community recruitment program also has the potential to positively impact the local economy. Engaging community members in the hiring of new recruits is an obvious example of job creation that would definitely benefit the local economy, not to mention the safety of the community.

These proposed equipment purchases would greatly affect the day-to-day operations of the Columbia Police Department. Purchasing such equipment is a top priority for the Department, as it would have an immediate, positive impact on the safety of the community. While the Police Technology items noted in Columbia's FY 2010 Appropriations Requests are very important, they would have more of a long-term impact. Because the focus of the ARRA is short-term job stabilization/creation and activities of immediate impact, the Columbia Police Department has decided to use the formula allocations for the items bulleted above. The Police Technology items noted as appropriations requests (security cameras, emergency operations center monitoring, and a driving simulator) will be considered as projects for appropriate JAG Competitive Grants.

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