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SR-11-24-2015-3E City Council Report City Council Regular Meeting: November 24, 2015 Agenda Item: 3.E 1 of 2 To: Mayor and City Council From: Jacqueline Seabrooks, Police Chief, Police Department Subject: 2015 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant award in the amount of $9,297 from the United States Department of Justice (US DOJ) for the 2015 Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Award. 2. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report. Executive Summary The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has been awarded a two-year grant of $9,297 from the US DOJ, Bureau of Justice Administration (BJA) as part of the 2015 Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant program. This grant would reimburse SMPD for 50 percent of the cost of each vest purchased under the program. Funds must be spent by August 31, 2017. Discussion The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998, is a unique US Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and local law enforcement. Since 1999, more than 13,000 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP Program, with more than $393 million in federal funds committed to support the purchase of an estimated 1.2 million bulletproof vests. The Office of Justice Programs BJA administers the BVP Program. The City has been a recipient of grant funding previously in 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2014. The 2015 program funding would provide for approximately 21 replacement vests. Bulletproof vests are on a three year replacement cycle because the degradation of the 2 of 2 Kevlar from repetitive use; additionally, body moisture reduces the vest's ability to maintain the threat level guaranteed, a circumstance which voids the manufacturer’s warranty. The current grant award of $9,297 would support the purchase of vests through August 2017. Financial Impacts and Budget Actions Award of a $9,297 grant from the US Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership requires the following FY 2015-16 budget changes: 1. Establish a revenue budget at account 20304.403752 in the amount of $9,297. 2. Appropriate the following expenditures to reflect receipt of the US Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant: $9,297 at account 20304.578852. Prepared By: Nicole Bustamante, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council