Title
Resolution Confirming Application for, and Acceptance and Appropriation of the 2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance to Police Services ($17,930.00) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
On August 3, 2017, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) released the local government solicitation for the 2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The City of Ann Arbor Police Services Unit is eligible for an award of $17,930.00. The deadline for submission of an application on-line to the DOJ BJA was September 5, 2017. The City Administrator authorized Police Services to submit an application to ensure the deadline was met. Authorization to accept and appropriate the grant, if awarded, is contingent upon approval of City Council.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: No specific funding currently exists in the AAPD general fund budget.
The 2017 Justice Assistance Grant requires that Police Services make the grant application available for review by City Council. Grant requirements also stipulate that the City’s application and any future amendments are available for review and comment by citizens and neighborhood or community organizations to the extent that applicable law or established procedure make such an opportunity available.
In keeping with these requirements and with City procedures, Police Services submits in advance a proposed resolution, the application and the public hearing notice to City Administration for review and distribution to City Council members. Council received the application on December 6, 2017, via e-mail communication from the City Administration advising City Council of the availability for review, in accordance with the grant terms, in preparation for the December 18, 2017 Public Hearing at the City Council meeting.
The City Clerk’s Office published the public hearing notice in the Washtenaw County Legal News on December 11, 2017, and posted a copy of the grant application in the City Clerk’s office for public review beginning on December 11, 2017. Police Services is requesting Council approve this resolution after the public hearing is held on December 18, 2017.
The 2017 Justice Assistance Grant Program provides an opportunity for local governments to support activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system. Funding under this grant program allows local government to fund additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following areas:
Law enforcement programs
Prosecution and court programs
Prevention and education programs
Corrections and community corrections programs
Drug treatment and enforcement programs
Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs
Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation)
Mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams.
JAG funds may not be used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose prohibited by federal statute or regulation, as “match” for the purposes of other federal award, or supplant State or local funding.
Traffic complaints are perpetually a focus for the Police. The community submits
traffic complaints regularly that require follow up through monitoring and enforcement. Approximately one third of the complaints are related to speed. Speed measurement devices are necessary to objectively evaluate speed complaints. They are also necessary to provide enforcement that is defensible in court.
The Ann Arbor Police Department has 26 patrol vehicles that are equipped with working radar. 19 are currently equipped with one. These units are aged and will likely each be replaced the next time they come out of service for repair. Seven patrol vehicles currently do not have working radar because the units previously installed needed to be taken out of service and were not repairable. In addition, due to their precise measurement capabilities, these lasers are used in accident investigations and crime scene mapping. There are currently three lasers working in patrol and seven that are aged and will need to be replaced. Funding through the 2017 JAG will allow Police Services to equip the seven vehicles currently without working radar and/or a laser.
As the 2017 JAG uses an on-line application and award documents process involving electronic signatures, Police Services is requesting that City Council authorize the City Administrator or his designee to accept the grant, if awarded, and appropriate when receive the grant funds to the Police Services budget for expenditure during the life of the grant without regard to fiscal year.
Staff
Prepared by: Robert Pfannes, Deputy Chief, AAPD
Reviewed by: James Baird, Chief, AAPD
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, On August 3, 2017, the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance released the local government solicitation for the 2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor Police Services Unit is eligible for an award of $17,930.00;
Whereas, Funding through the 2017 JAG will allow Police Services to equip seven vehicles currently without working radar and/or a laser;
Whereas, The deadline for submission of an application on-line to the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance was September 5, 2017, and the City Administrator authorized Police Services to submit an application on September 5, 2017, to ensure the deadline was met;
Whereas, Authorization to accept and appropriate the grant, if awarded, is contingent upon approval of City Council;’
Whereas, Grant requirements stipulate that the City’s application and any future amendments are available for review and comment by citizens and neighborhood or community organization to the extent that applicable law or established procedure make such an opportunity available;
Whereas, The 2017 Justice Assistance Grant requires that Police Services make the grant application available for review by City Council prior to its submission;
Whereas, Police Services submitted the application to the City Administration on December 6, 2017, for review and distribution to City Council members, via e-mail communication, advising City Council of the availability for review, in accordance with the grant terms, in preparation for the December 18, 2017, Public Hearing held at this Council meeting;
Whereas, The City Clerk’s Office published the public hearing notice in the Washtenaw County Legal News on December 11, 2017, and posted a copy of the grant application in the City Clerk’s office for public review beginning December 11; 2017; and
Whereas, The grant award requires no matching funds, but the award documents specify that a trust fund account be established;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the submitted grant agreement with the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, which approval indicates its acceptance of the grant and its terms;
RESOLVED, That if awarded the grant, City Council accept the 2017 Justice Assistance Grant for $17,930.00 and appropriate the grant funds to Police Services to be expended from a trust fund account established in accordance with the terms of the grant during its life without regard to City fiscal year; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator or his designee be authorized and directed to execute the grant agreement between the City of Ann Arbor and the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance after approval as to form by the City Attorney and to take all necessary actions to implement this Resolution, including but not limited to any accounting measures acceptable to the funder to identify grant funds and their disbursement.