Title
Staff Report for Resolution Approving the Department of Justice’s Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Award of $30,413.30 and to Appropriate these Funds for Technology Improvements.
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution to accept a grant award totaling $30,413.30 from the Department of Justice’s Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and to appropriate the funds.
BACKGROUND
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant Program (42 U.S.C. 3751 (a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The Byrne JAG Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and was created in 2005 by merging the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant Program (Byrne) with the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program (LLEBG). Byrne JAG funding can be used to support a broad range of state and local government projects, including those designed to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system.
To ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of JAG funds, allocation to state and local governments is based on a formula using population and crime statistics in combination with a minimum allocation. Funds are split 60/40 between state and local recipients within states. Municipal governments, tribes, and community-and faith-based groups are eligible to receive Byrne JAG funding. Historically, funding for the JAG Program in California was allocated directly to counties through a non-competitive process.
The JAG Program supports seven “Program Purpose Areas” designated by federal statute. These include the following:
(1) Law enforcement programs.
(2) Prosecution and court programs, including indigent defense.
(3) Prevention and education programs.
(4) Corrections and community corrections programs.
(5) Drug treatment and enforcement programs.
(6) Planning, evaluation and technology improvement programs.
(7) Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).
The JAG funding must be spent according to certain federal guidelines, including the following:
(1) Byrne JAG funds must be used to supplement existing funds for program activities and cannot replace, or supplant, nonfederal funds that have been appropriated for the same purpose.
(2) Byrne JAG funds cannot be used to fund security enhancements or to purchase equipment by nongovernmental entities not engaged in criminal justice or public safety directly or indirectly.
(3) Byrne JAG funds cannot be used to purchase vehicles (excluding police cruisers), vessels (excluding police boats), or aircraft (excluding police helicopters); luxury items; real estate; or for construction projects, other than penal or correctional institutions.
(4) JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas:
a. law enforcement programs;
b. prosecution and court programs;
c. prevention and education programs;
d. corrections and community corrections programs;
e. drug treatment programs;
f. planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and
g. Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).
The Police Department has a need for a mobile software application to complement its computer-aided dispatch system (CAD)-New World Systems. This application (called CAD Webview) will offer a mobile platform during critical incidents to access the CAD system that interfaces with existing technology, specifically the tablet computers deployed to management staff. The current system for critical incident management has a fixed computer screen display inside a command vehicle, which limits the user’s flexibility and range. This application would provide critical incident commanders access to CAD event information in a mobile environment. The application was an unfunded request last fiscal year of $25,373.30.
Staff recommends that the City Council appropriate the JAG funding to purchase this software application, which satisfies the “technology improvement program” purpose area listed above.
Fiscal Impact
The acceptance of the grant will not impact the General Fund. If approved, the City will receive $30,413.30 to provide technology improvements per the terms of the DOJ-JAG guidelines, with no local share (matching funds) required. Expenditures will be captured in special grant fund account #150-21-052. Staff requests that the City Council approve an appropriation of $30,413.30 for the CAD Webview application.
Budget Authority
Staff recommends City Council approve and accept the grant award totaling $30,413.30 from the Department of Justice’s Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and approve appropriation of the funds to 150-21-052.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: City of San Leandro FY16 JAG Narrative.
PREPARED BY: Scott Koll, Police Business Manager, Police Department