var department = '<?php echo $dept; ?>';
//var department = 'Deployment';   <--- thats what $dept is

////// PROJECT CHANGE
$('#projectSelect').on('change', function() {

    var selectedProject = $('#projectSelect').val();
    $.getJSON('json.php?task='+selectedProject, function(data) {
        var select = $('#taskSelect');
        select.empty();

        $.each(data, function(key, val){
        select.append("<option value='"+this.id+"'>"+this.label+"</option>");
        });

   /******** THIS IS WHERE I NEED HELP ... **********/
        if (department == this.label) {
        $("#taskSelect").val([this.id]).select2();
            }
/*************************************************/

        var taskSelected = $('#taskSelect');
        $("#taskSelect").select2().select2('value', taskSelected);

    });

})

$.each(data, function(key, val){
    var opt = $("<option value='"+this.id+"'>"+this.label+"</option>");

    if(department == this.label)
        opt.attr("selected","selected");

    select.append(opt);
});