sr-092810-3fCity Council Meeting: September 28, 2010
Agenda Item: ~--~
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Timothy J. Jackman, Chief of Police
Subject: 2010 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant award from the US Department of Justice for
the amount of $62,521.
2) Authorize the budget changes outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
section of this report.
Executive Summary
The City of Santa Monica Police Department has been awarded a grant of $62,521 under the
2010 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of
Justice: To qualify, the proposal must fall within one of seven defined purpose areas: law
enforcement, prosecution, prevention, corrections, drug treatment, planning and technology, or
as a qualified project under the former Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program. Funds are
received in the first year of a four-year grant period, which means that all funds must be utilized
by the end of the four-year grant period. No local match is required.
The City of Santa Monica Police Department's accepted proposal only allows for funds to make
payments on costs associated with certified crime lab services. The services include the
analysis and reporting of findings from DNA and forensic evidence which is collected at crime
scenes.
The services are usually provided by the Orange County Crime Lab and their current cost is
$160.72 per hour. Due to the uniqueness of each crime and the evidence which is collected
from a crime, there is no set number of hours or total costs which can be associated with lab
services. However, analysis shows that historically Santa Monica cases have ranged from 4 to
20 hours or $642.88 - $3214.40 for lab services to process each case.
Discussion
In 2007 and 2008 Council authorized the Police Department to apply funds awarded under the
JAG Program to the "DNA/Advanced Forensic Evidence" project. The project pays costs for
certified crime labs to analyze and report findings on DNA and other forensic evidence collected
in major crimes. The grant funding has given the Police Department a potent investigative tool
that would otherwise be too costly for the department. The addition of $62,521 will yield 389 lab
hours from the 2010 JAG award will ensure continued access to the lab services through
December 2012.
To meet the conditions of the grant, the applicant must provide a 30-day period for public
comment on the proposed use of the funds. The City of Santa Monica met this condition by
issuing a public service announcement from June 14 through July 13, 2010. The
announcement was posted on the City and Police Department websites, public bulletin boards
in City Hall and the Public Safety Facility and was distributed by the Police Department's
community bulletin via email. No responses were received in opposition to the use of the JAG
Program funds.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The JAG Program pays 100% of eligible project costs. No local match is required. Services are
rendered by the Orange County Crime Lab which currently charges $160.72 per hour. Therefore
this grant will yield approximately. 389 lab hours. The following FY2010-2011 budget changes
will be necessary:
1. Establish a revenue budget in the amount of $62,521 at account number 20304.403631.
2. Appropriate the grant funds to account 20307.578835.
Prepared by: Kevin McGowan, Assistant to the Chief of Police
Approved:
Timothy J.
Chief of Pr
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
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