HomeMy WebLinkAbout01 2007 JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) 06-05-07~-
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AGENDA REPORT
Agenda Item ~
Reviewed:
City Manager
Finance Director
MEETING DATE: JUNE 5, 2007
T0: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: SCOTT M. JORDAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
SUBJECT: 2007 JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG)
SUMMARY:
Congress established the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program in the 2005
Omnibus Appropriations Package. The JAG program blends the previous Edward Byrne
Formula Grant (Byrne) and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) programs
into one program, which is intended to provide agencies with the flexibility to prioritize
and place justice funds where they are most needed. The Police Department proposes
to use the 2007 JAG funds to provide supplemental funding to the Proactive
Methamphetamine Task Force (PROACT} and to purchase communications equipment,
specifically radio earpieces for hand-held radios.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Open and close a Public Hearing.
2. Authorize usage of the funds as recommended by the Police Department.
3. Authorize reimbursement from the County of Orange to the City of Tustin for the
purchase of radio ear pieces, and authorize the Chief of Police to sign any grant
related paperwork on behalf of the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The grant award is in the amount of $25,151.00. After a 41 % PROACT contribution and
a 1.5% administration fee, the City of Tustin will retain $12,575.50. The County of
Orange will serve as the applicant/fiscal agent for the Justice Assistance Grant funds
and will reimburse the City of Tustin the full amount of the city portion of the grant award
upon verification that the funds have been spent in accordance with grant procedures.
BACKGROUND:
In the late 1990's the Proactive Methamphetamine Task Force (PROACT} was formed
and is comprised of personnel from several municipal police agencies, agents from the
2007 Justice Assistance Grant
June 5, 2007
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State Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the
Orange County Probation Department and the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
This task force was funded by the Byrne grant funds and allowed for reimbursement of
an officer's time, equipment and the clean-up of methamphetamine labs. These labs
have extremely hazardous materials and require special handling not only for clean-up,
but for prosecution of those responsible for operating the lab. Orange County Police
Chiefs have agreed that the continued operation of the PROACT task force is a high
priority that benefits all Orange County cities.
The majority of Orange county cities that are receiving JAG grant funding are
designating 41 % of their funding for the PROACT task force. For Tustin, this represents
a commitment of $12,198.24 of the total JAG funds available. This is a worthwhile
expenditure to insure that methamphetamine labs in Orange County continue to be
investigated and cleaned up at minimal costs to each city. The Police Department
supports the commitment of these funds to the PROACT task force.
After application of a 1.5% Administrative Fee totaling $377.27, the Police Department
recommends the balance of the funds in the amount of $12,575.50 be used to purchase
earpiece units for officers to utilize with hislher assigned 800 MHz police radio. The
earpiece component allows for enhanced officer safety by not having to remove the
handheld radio from their belt holster to receive radio transmissions. In emergency
situations this feature allows officers to receive transmissions while keeping hands free
for other, often more critical use. It will also allow for confidentiality in transmissions in
situations where suspects are within earshot of potentially sensitive information. It is the
goal of the Police Department to purchase a radio earpiece for each officer assigned a
designated handheld radio and to provide for an available pool of earpieces for use by
all other field and support personnel who are assigned a designated handheld radio.
The Motorola earpieces available that are compatible with the current generation of
Motorola radios are approximately $144.66 each. The police department currently
intends to purchase 79 earpieces to stay within the funding allowance of this grant.
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SCOTT M. JO DAN
Chief of Police
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CHRISTINE SCHWAR
Police Support Services Manager
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the City Council, of the City of Tustin, will conduct a
public hearing on June 5, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 300
Centennial Way, Tustin, California to consider the following:
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S USE OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE
GRANT (JAG) FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT THE PROACTIVE
METHAMPHETAMINE TASK FORCE (PROACT) AND
PURCHASE HANDHELD RADIO ACCESSORY EQUIPMENT.
This grant will be used to supplement the Orange County Proactive
Methamphetamine Task Force (PROACT) operations. PROACT investigates
and conducts the necessary clean up of clandestine methamphetamine
laboratories throughout Orange County. The grant will also be used to purchase
earpieces for police department personnel who have been issued a radio for field
use. This equipment will assist in situations where confidential information
overheard by suspects can cause an incident to escalate and for hands-free
radio operations to allow for safe application of arrest and control techniques to
limit potential injuries to officers and suspects.
If you challenge the subject items in court, you may be limited to raising only
those issues you or someone else raised at a public hearing described in the
notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Tustin at, or prior to,
the Public Hearing.
If you require special accommodations to attend this meeting, please contact the
City Clerk at (714) 573-3025.
Information relative to this item is on file with the Tustin Police Department and is
available for public inspection at City Hall. Anyone interested in the information
above may call the Police Department at (714) 573-3046.
Pamela Stoker
City Clerk
Publish: Orange County Register
Date: May 24, 2007