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CC- CONSENT ITEM: Ratification of the CQ 2026 Grant Application Submitted to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program in the Amount of $50,834.00.
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Meeting Date: July 13, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Lieutenant Ryan Thompson/ Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6302
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (07/08/2026)
Department Approval: Jason Sims, Chief of Police, (06/25/2026) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council ratify the CQ 2026 grant application submitted to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program in the amount of $50,834.00.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) announced the availability of grant funds for Fiscal Year 2026-27 to allow California’s local forensic science laboratories, medical examiners’ offices, and coroners’ offices to continue to provide support to law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies throughout the state.
The Culver City Police Department is eligible to apply for up to $50,834 in non-competitive grant funding through the FY 2026-27 Cal OES Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Grant funding must be used to cover the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining accreditation for crime labs, reducing forensic backlogs, and improving the quality and timeliness of forensic science services.
Cal OES has identified the following priority areas of concentration for funding:
• Implement a program intended to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science or medical examiner/coroner’s office services in the state.
• Eliminate backlogs in the analysis of forensic science evidence, including, but not limited to, a backlog with respect to firearms examination, latent prints, impression evidence, toxicology, digital evidence, fire evidence, controlled substances, forensic pathology, questioned documents, and trace evidence.
• Train, assist, and employ forensic laboratory personnel and medicolegal death investigators, as needed, to eliminate backlogs.
• Address emerging forensic science issues (such as statistics, contextual bias, and uncertainty of measurement) and emerging forensic science technology (such as high-performance automation, statistical software, and new types of instrumentation).
• Educate and train forensic pathologists on appropriate protocols.
The CCPD Forensic Section has been accredited by ANAB to ISO 17020 standards since 2022. The Forensic Section intends to use the grant funds to support the lab’s continued accreditation and to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic services through a variety of means, including purchasing new light sources and developments chambers for the lab, upgrading computer monitors, and purchasing laptop computers for field use. The grant subaward performance period is July 1, 2026. through June 30, 2027.
The CQ26 Non-Competitive Funding Opportunity (NCFO) was released on June 1, 2026. The grant budget proposal submittal deadline was June 19, 2026, and the grant application submittal deadline was July 1, 2026.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The requested grant funding amount is $50,834 to support the forensic crime lab’s continued accreditation and improve the quality and timeliness of forensic services by purchasing updated laboratory equipment. This is a reimbursement grant that requires two Progress Reports and reimbursement claim reports.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
recommended action
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Ratify the CQ 2026 grant application submitted to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program in the amount of $50,834.00;
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.