December 14, 2004
SUBJECT: CONTINUATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT AWARD
REPORT IN BRIEF
The State Legislature has appropriated $8.8 million to the County of Santa Clara and local law enforcement agencies for supplemental police funding in FY 2004/2005. This is a continuation of the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services funding program (SLES) that was provided in FY 1996/1997 via Assembly Bill 3229 (AB 3229). Using a formula based on population, Sunnyvale has received a check for $193,370. This amount represents a reduction of approximately $4,000 from the anticipated grant award for the fiscal year. This report, as required by the legislature, specifies Sunnyvale's front line municipal police services needs, and makes a request for the supplemental personnel, equipment, and programs necessary to meet those needs. In order to be eligible for the funding the City Council must consider these written requests each year and appropriate existing or anticipated monies from the County. Although the State intends this funding to be on-going, fluctuations in the State budget could cause the amount of annual appropriations to fluctuate accordingly.
Staff recommends Council accept the full amount available from the SLES program. Estimates of the grant and matching funds (based on FY 2003/2004 allocations) were included in the adopted budget for FY 2004/2005 Police Services Augmentation Fund, in the SLES Sub Fund, but at higher amounts than the current grant award. The funding difference of $4,006 will be absorbed by the department.
BACKGROUND
In September 1996, Council approved the establishment of the Police Services Augmentation Fund and the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Sub-Fund to account for grant monies from the SLES and the Bureau of Justice Administration Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (BJA/LLEBG) programs. Council appropriated the FY 1996/1997 allocation of $293,461 from the COPS/SLES grant and $63,935 from the BJA/LLEBG program into this new fund.
Initially the funds received from the BJA/LLEBG and SLES programs were to fund a full-time Domestic Violence Investigator, a Patrol Watch Commander, and participation in the State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement’s Bay Area Regional Narcotics Task Force. Beginning in FY 1999/2000 the Department created the Bureau of Professional Standards as part of a departmental reorganization and transitioned a portion of the grant funding in this Bureau. From FY 1999/2000 through FY 2002/2003 Council approved the use of this grant revenue to fund a Patrol Watch Commander (Public Safety Captain I) and two Internal Affairs Investigators (Public Safety Lieutenants).
Due to the continual decline of funding and increased personnel costs, by FY 2003/2004 the grants were no longer able to support the three positions and funds were allocated to the Patrol Watch Commander and a portion of an Internal Affairs Investigator. Council approved the reduction of one Internal Affairs Investigator as part of the service level reductions that were approved in the FY 2003/2004 Budget and 10-Year Resource Allocation Plan.
The FY 2004/2005 Budget supports only the Patrol Watch Commander with SLES and BJA/LLEBG funds. The Internal Affairs Investigator has been moved to the General Fund operations of the Department of Public Safety.
DISCUSSION
For FY 2004/2005, the City received an allocation of $193,370 in SLES funds and $11,528 in BJA/LLEBG funds. The BJA/LLEBG funds were accepted by Council in a separate report on October 26, 2004 (RTC#: 04-380).
Written Requests for Supplemental Law Enforcement Needs
The Interim Director of Public Safety has reviewed the Police/Administrative and Technical Services Outcomes and, as required by law, makes the following requests for the continued application of SLES supplemental funding:
1. The continued funding for a full time Patrol Team Captain from the SLES Sub-Fund to provide management presence in Patrol Operations beyond weekdays from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
FISCAL IMPACT
The SLES amount of $197,376 was included in the FY 2004/2005 approved budget. The actual grant award of $193,370 creates a funding differential of $4,006 from the planned amount. This small difference will be absorbed by the Department of Public Safety.
Please note that continuation of the Public Safety Captain position is contingent upon funds being appropriated each year by the state and federal governments. Any further decrease in these revenues would result in a proportionate decrease in services and expenditures.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the city's official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the city's web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk's Office.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Accept the full amount available from SLES program for
funding of a Patrol Watch Commander.
2. Do not accept the grant award.
3. Direct staff to conduct further study.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Alternative 1, Accept the full amount available from SLES program for funding of a Patrol Watch Commander.
Reviewed By:
Patrick Dwyer, Interim Director of Public Safety
Prepared by: Heather Tannehill, Manager, Police Services Division
Reviewed By:
Mary J. Bradley, Director of Finance
Approved by:
Amy Chan, City Manager
Attachment
A. FY 2005 COPS Allocations (pdf format)