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Title:
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Public Hearing Regarding the Use of Monies for Front Line Police Services as a Result of Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund Grant Under the Citizen’s Option for Public Safety (COPS) Program, Including Continued Funding of a Property Technician Position (Civilian) in the Property and Forensic Unit, and Creation of an Overtime-Funded Officer Task Force to Address Community Crime Prevention.
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City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
PH1-1
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council hold a public hearing on the proposed use of
fiscal year 2007/2008 Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF)
money available from the State of California, Citizens Option for Public Safety
(COPS) funding and approve the use of such grant funds to: 1) continue funding a
Property Technician position (civilian) in the Property and Forensic Unit; and 2)
create an overtime-funded officer task force to address community crime
prevention.
PROCEDURE:
1. Motion to receive and file the affidavit of publication and posting of Notice of
Public Hearing.
2. Call for a staff report and/or pose questions to the staff.
3. Mayor opens public hearing and invites public comments.
4. Motion to close the public hearing.
5. Mayor calls for staff responses to questions from the public.
6. Discuss the matter and make your decisions.
BACKGROUND:
The 2007/2008 State budget provides funding for the “Supplemental Law
Enforcement Funding” program, which began during the 1996/1997 State budget
Meeting Date: 02/25/2008 Item Number: PH-1
AGENDA ITEM: Public Hearing Regarding the Use of Monies for Front Line Police
Services as a Result of Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund Grant
Under the Citizen’s Option for Public Safety (COPS) Program, Including
Continued Funding of a Property Technician Position (Civilian) in the Property
and Forensic Unit, and Creation of an Overtime-Funded Officer Task Force to
Address Community Crime Prevention.
Contact Person/Dept.: Lt. Manuel Ariza Phone Number: (310) 253-6260
Fiscal Impact: Yes [x] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification:
Publication in the Culver City News.
Master Notification List (02/21/08)
Department Approval: Don Pedersen,
Chief of Police (02/19/08)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (02/21/08)
Fiscal Impact Review:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (02/19/08)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (02/21/08) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
PH1-2
year. The City of Culver City has been receiving various annual amounts of COPS
funds towards the end of the respective calendar years. This funding is a “pass
through” grant from the State of California with the money received from the
County of Los Angeles.
The City is eligible once again to receive $100,000 in SLESF monies for the
exclusive purpose of funding “front line municipal police services” and in fact the
funds were received in October, 2007. The proportionate shares are based on
population estimated by the California Department of Finance. Those cities with
populations less than 50,000 receive the minimum appropriation amount of
$100,000. The funds are to be appropriated pursuant to a written request from the
Chief of Police and the funding process is subject to a public hearing to consider
this request.
This is the twelfth (12
th
) year of funding for this grant. The grant requires that the
funds be spent on front-line police services. At this time, the intended project for
this grant is to continue funding one Property Technician position as it has done for
the previous four (4) fiscal years. The Property Technician position has proven
effective at reducing the work backlog in the forensics unit and eliminated the need
to fund officers on an overtime basis to work in that section. This year, as in the
last four (4) years, the Chief of Police is requesting that the salary adjustment
surplus above the cost of the Property Technician position be used for the
establishment of an overtime funded Task Force to address quality of life crimes.
Changing the planned expenditure for the funds is allowed and at the discretion of
the Police Chief. SLESF funds cannot be used to supplant an existing budget and
must be used for front line police services. There are no requirements for
matching funds.
The grant funded Property Technician will result in an additional police officer on
the street performing front line municipal police services. The grant funded
overtime positions will place more officers in the field performing community crime
prevention.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The City has already received the funds and the Property Technician position, as
proposed, will continue to be entirely funded by the grant. The remaining monies
will be used to fund the officer task force costs. The grant has already been
appropriated by the City Council in the fiscal 07/08 budget in Business Unit
41441700.
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
PH1-3
ATTACHMENT:
1. Inter-Departmental Correspondence to the Mayor and City Council stating
the preference for the SLESF Program Funds.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve the continued use of SLESF program grant monies to fund one (1)
Property Technician position and the remaining grant monies to establish an
overtime-funded task force to address community crime prevention.