HomeMy WebLinkAbout02 COPS PROGRAM 10-07-96OCTOBER 2, 1996
Inter-Oom
NO. 2
10-7-96
DATE:
TO:
FROM'
SUBJECT:
WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITIZEN'S OPTION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY (coPs) PROGRAM
SUMMARY'
RECOMMENDATIONS'
,
,
That Council hold a public hearing regarding use of COPS funds.
The Council consider the Police Department's recommendation of usage funds.
FISCAL IMPACT:
48,039 Revenue
BACKGROUND'
Assembly, Bill 3229 (Brulte) was enacted as a part of the State budget package.
This Bill establishes a Citizen's Option for Public Safety (COPS). The COPS Program
provides funding for local agencies for the purpose of ensuring public safety.
COPS is a permanent ongoing program. It will, however, require new appropriations
for continued funding each fiscal year. The State Controller allocates funds to each
county by September 15, 1996. The funds in each county are to be allocated to the
cities by October 15. It is required that each city establish a Supplemental Law
Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF) for deposit of the funds received from the
county. The funds received are allocated on population. Seventy-five percent of the
William A. Huston
City Manager
October 2, 1996
Page 2
total funds received by the county are allocated to the county and cities within the
county for front-line municipal police services.
These funds must supplement and not supplant existing funding. Front-line law
enforcement services include anti-gang and community crime prevention programs.
The Police Department proposes to utilize these Grant monies to fund an ongoing
community crime prevention program focusing on anti-gang activities. This would
consist of a unit composed of one sergeant and two police officers funded under this
Grant. This would permanently fund what is currently our temporary gang unit. One
year's initial cost for this sergeant and two officers is approximately $210,000.
Additional monies are expected from a Law Enforcement Block Grant Program in the
amount of $43,081. These two Grants will pay approximately 90 percent of the
personnel costs from establishing this unit.
The City Council is to hold a Public Hearing in September of each year to consider
requests for funding. These requests must be considered separately and apart from
allocations from the City General Fund, i.e., the City budget process.
STEVEN L. FOSTER
Acting Chief of Police
SLF:FW:et