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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-08-2012 C2 fy 2012 edbyrne memorial justice assistance grant program~ counci lj acEnaa Repoat Meeting Date 5-8-1 2 Item Number C2 CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O FROM: Steve Gesell, Chief of Police Prepared By: Melissa Ellsworth, Senior Administrative Analys t SUBJECT : FY 2012 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANC E GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATIO N RECOMMENDATION 1.Authorize staff to submit an application for a 2012 Edward Byrne Memorial Justic e Assistance Grant in the amount of $10,278 to fund police safety equipment . 2.If the grant is awarded, authorize the City Manager to execute necessary grant documents . DISCUSSION Grant Program Informatio n The U.S . Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG ) Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to the State and loca l jurisdictions . JAG funds may be used to fund technical assistance, training, personnel , equipment, supplies, contractual support, and criminal justice information systems for any of th e following purpose areas : 1.Law enforcement program s 2.Prosecution and court program s 3.Prevention and education program s 4.Corrections and community corrections program s 5.Drug treatment and enforcement program s 6.Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement program s 7.Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation ) The JAG Program is a non-competitive formula grant and the funding allocation is based on th e population and crime rate of the local jurisdiction . The amount available to the City of San Lui s Obispo for FY 2012 is $10,278 . Awards are made in the first fiscal year of the appropriation and may be expended during the following three years, JAG Program funds must be used to supplement existing local funds for program activities and cannot replace or supplant funds tha t have been appropriated for the same purpose . The Department of Justice requires the City's grant application be made available for review b y the City Council, and members of the public must have an opportunity to comment on th e application . Applications for this grant program are due by May 14, 2012 . Placement of this item on the Council's May 8, 2012, meeting agenda fulfills these requirements . C2-1 Application for FY 2012 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)Page 2 Proposed Use of Grant Fund s Staff proposes utilizing the grant money to purchase additional officer rifles . In 1997, after a high profile case in Los Angeles involving an attempted bank robbery an d subsequent police confrontation, many police agencies began to issue patrol rifles to polic e officers . These rifles were in addition to the hand guns officers carry on a daily basis . To address this issue, the San Luis Obispo Police Department implemented a plan to outfit eac h patrol vehicle with a rifle . Over time, staff has now recognized the need to change past practice to enhance the safety of th e officers and those involved in these types of dangerous confrontations in addition to reducin g liability exposure . Staff is requesting to purchase additional rifles to be added to the curren t inventory in order to assign a specific rifle to each individual officer, instead of a vehicle . Assigning a personal rifle allows the officer to train and become familiar with a specific weapon . The sensitive sighting scope affixed to the rifle is intended to be adjusted to the individual need s of each user. Currently, an officer may be driving a vehicle that is assigned a rifle that he or sh e may not have qualified with during firearms training ; as a result, the officer may be faced with using lethal force by shooting a rifle they have never used before . Recently, two of our officers attended separate rifle instructor courses . At each course, the Sa n Luis Obispo police officers were the only attendees who did not have personally assigned rifles . The instructors teaching the course pointed out the liability of not having these weapon s individually assigned . Additionally, studies suggest employees take better care of equipmen t issued to them than that which is shared . The San Luis Obispo Police Department currently possesses 18 Colt AR-15 patrol rifles . An additional 12 rifles will allow the Police Department to issue a rifle to individual uniforme d patrol officers . CONCURRENCE S The Director of the Finance and Information Technology Department concurs with the staf f recommendation . FISCAL IMPACT City matching funds are not required for this grant . The City may draw down any or all JAG fund s after acceptance of the award . To do so,a trust fund must be established in order to maintain the funds separate from the General Fund . The estimated cost for 12 rifles is $10,524 ; grant funds will cover the majority of the cost in the amount of $10,278 . There is currently funding available in the department's budget to support the estimated balance of $246 . C2-2 Application for FY 2012 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)Page 3 ALTERNATIVE S 1.Modify the staff recommendation .Council may direct staff to apply for the JAG funds fo r a different purpose, as long as the use is consistent with the purpose areas described in thi s report. 2.Do not submit a grant application.Council may direct staff to not submit a grant application. The alternative is not recommended . The JAG Program is non-competitive and the funds have already been allocated to our City upon application,as long as the use i s consistent with the purpose areas described in this report . T:\Council Agenda Reports\2012\2012-05-08\FY 2012 Ed Byrne Memorial Justice Assist Grant Prg (Gesell-Ellsworth)\CAR 2012 JA G Application_Local Solicit .docx Page intentionally left blank .