SR-701-006 (6)
PD:JTB:MM:f:\police\share\staffrpt\llebg2001
Council Meeting: July 24, 2001 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Use of 2001 Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Funds
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council appropriate and designate the use
of a grant award from the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG)
program for advanced forensic services.
Background
The City of Santa Monica is eligible to receive $201,034 of the Federal 2001
LLEBG appropriation, ??to reduce crime and improve public safety.? A local
match equal to 10% of the total project cost is required. This City Council
meeting fulfills a grant requirement for public discussion on the proposed use of
the funds.
Discussion
The Police Department has identified an innovative use for Santa Monica?s 2001
LLEBG fund allocation that satisfies one of the program?s defined purposes, ??to
enhance adjudication of cases involving violent offenders.?
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Staff recommends that Council designate the 2001 LLEBG grant award to pay for
advanced forensic services in the investigation of violent crimes. This
designation will continue the ?DNA Evidence Testing? project, started with a
portion of the 2000 LLEBG award, that pays costs for DNA evidence testing on
unsolved homicide and major sexual assault cases. The project has quickly
proved its effectiveness: One of the first samples submitted returned a positive
match that resulted in an arrest and prosecution. A conclusive match is also
expected in several pending cases.
Staff further recommends that Council authorize an expansion of the project by
using LLEBG funds for forensic testing in other serious felony cases including
abductions, violent armed robberies, home invasion robberies, and felony
assaults that may result in death, and for other proven forensic services including
ballistics analysis, fiber and trace evidence analysis, and bloodhound tracking
and scent show-ups. The varying needs of the case investigations will determine
how expenditures are distributed among the services.
An expanded project will enhance the ability of the Police Department to
investigate and solve crimes by making available advanced forensic resources.
Further, it will allow investigators to use the services of several crime labs,
thereby ensuring faster results.
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Budget/Financial Impact
The LLEBG grant provides 90% of the total cost of eligible projects. The grantee
must provide local matching funds equal to 10% of the total project cost. In this
case, the total project cost is $223,370 with $201,034 (90%) financed by the
LLEBG grant funds and $22,336 (10%) provided by the City. The local matching
funds will be obtained from the Police Department?s Fiscal Year 2001-2002
Operating Budget.
The following Fiscal Year 2001-2002 budget changes will be necessary:
1. Establish revenue account #20304.406560 in the amount of $201,034 to
reflect receipt of the 2001 LLEBG funds (Local Law Enforcement Block
Grant ? Federal Funds);
2. Appropriate $201,034 in capital improvement project account
#C20053702.589000 (Local Law Enforcement Block Grant);
3. Transfer the required local matching funds for the grant, in the amount of
$22,336, from Police Department FY2001-2002 General Fund Operating
Budget account #01304.533580 to Capital Improvement Project account
#C01053702.589000 (Local Law Enforcement Block Grant ? Local
Match).
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Uses of Funds
$223,370 ? Forensic testing services
Sources of Funds
$201,034 - LLEBG grant (90%)
$ 22,336 - Matching funds from Police Operating Budget (10%)
$223,370
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council appropriate the 2001 Local Law
Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) funds, designate their use for the project, and
approve the budget changes described above.
Prepared by: James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
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