SR-701-006 (5)
PD:JTB:JRK:\\police\share\staffrpt\COPSDesignation.doc
City Council Meeting: June 12, 2001 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Designation of Uses for $485,543 of State Citizens? Option for Public
Safety (COPS) Funding and Appropriation of $276,184 for Expenditure
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council designate and approve several eligible
uses for remaining funding from the City?s allocation of 1996, 1999, and 2000 State
COPS funds, and for $66,811 of interest which has been received on State COPS funds
held by the City through June 30, 2000. This report also recommends that the
previously unbudgeted $276,184 portion of these funds be appropriated to designated
expenditure accounts.
Background
State Citizens? Option for Public Safety (COPS) funds are provided to local jurisdictions
to help finance front-line law enforcement expenses that are not funded as part of a
jurisdiction?s regular budgeting process. Uses for the State COPS funds that a
jurisdiction receives must be formally approved and designated by the jurisdiction?s
governing body at a public meeting.
During the Summer of 2000, the Santa Monica Police Department incurred expenses
associated with the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which was being held in
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Los Angeles. Funding for these extraordinary expenses was not included in the Police
Department?s FY2000-2001 Operating Budget, and it was not possible to reallocate
enough funding within that budget to both cover the DNC-related costs and provide
adequately for Police Department operation during the rest of this fiscal year. To
resolve that problem, City staff members reviewed all funding sources which could be
used to finance some portion of the Police Department?s DNC-related expenses. One
of those sources was the unspent portions of the COPS funds allocations that the City
had received prior to the Summer of 2000. Another source was the interest on COPS
funds which the City had received but not budgeted or spent as of June 30, 2000.
Discussion
Staff has determined that $265,728.50 of the Police Department?s DNC-related
expenses meet State COPS funding guidelines. To reduce the impact of those
expenses on the General Fund, staff recommends that the $265,728.50 be financed
with the remaining unspent portions of the City?s 1996 and 1999 State COPS funds
allocations and with $56,369 of the $66,811 of interest on State COPS funds which is
shown in the City?s FY1999-2000 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).
Staff is recommending that the remaining $10,442 of COPS funds interest be approved
for use in the Police Department?s Mobile Field Reporting System Project. Additionally,
staff is recommending that $120,000 of the City?s $209,373 Year 2000 State COPS
funds allocation be approved for the purchase of Mobile Data Computers (MDCs) for
front-line Police Department vehicles and that the remaining $89,373 of the Year 2000
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COPS funds allocation be approved for the purchase of digital two-way radios needed
by Police Department field units.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
The 1996 and 1999 COPS funds have been budgeted in appropriate expenditure
accounts. No budgetary actions associated with those allocations are necessary at this
time. The $66,811 of accumulated, but as yet unbudgeted, COPS funds interest must
be appropriated to an expenditure account before it can be used. Staff recommends
that it be appropriated to the account which contains the 1999 COPS funds allocation
and which also contains the majority of the previously mentioned $265,728.50 of DNC-
related expenditure charges. That account number is C22053700.589000. Lastly, it will
be necessary to appropriate the $209,373 Year 2000 COPS funds allocation to a new
expenditure account before that allocation can be used. Staff recommends that the
Year 2000 COPS funds be allocated to new expenditure account number
C22053701.589000.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council approve the above described uses of the indicated State
COPS funds ($485,543 in total) and appropriate the indicated, as yet unbudgeted,
COPS funds ($276,184 in total) in the expenditure accounts shown above.
Prepared by: James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
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