Title
Resolution Confirming Application for and Acceptance and Appropriation of the 2011 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
Memorandum
On May 2, 2011, the Unites States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services released the local government solicitation for the 2011 COPS Hiring Program Grant.
CHP is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies having primary law enforcement authority to impact their community policing capacity and problem solving efforts. Subject to federal funding availability, just over $200 million in grant funding nationwide may be available for the hiring and rehiring of career law enforcement officers.
FY 2011 CHP grants will provide 100 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits for three years (36 months) for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions (including filling existing unfunded vacancies) or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a specific future date, as a result of local budget cuts.
There is no local match requirement or cap on the amount of funding that can be requested per officer position, but CHP grant funding will be based on an agency's current entry-level salary and fringe benefits packages. Any additional costs for higher than entry-level salaries and fringe benefits will be the responsibility of the grantee agency. All agencies' requests will be capped at no more than 5% of their actual sworn force strength reported at the time of application, up to a maximum of 50 officers. The request of any agency with a sworn force strength less than or equal to 20 will be capped at one officer.
At the conclusion of federal funding, grantees must retain all sworn officer positions awarded under the CHP grant for a minimum of one year (12 months). The retained CHP-funded position(s) should be added to the grantee's law enforcement budget with state and/or local funds, over and above the number of locally-funded positions that would have existed in the absence of the grant.
The deadline for submission of an application on-line to the United States Department of Justice, COPS office was May 25, 2011. The Mayor authorized Police Services to submit an application on May 24, 2011 to ensure the deadline was met. The application was submitted for five (5) officers at a total amount of $1,398,745. Authorization to accept and appropriate the grant, if awarded, is contingent upon approval of Council.
The 2011 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant requires under Federal Executive Order 12372 that applicants from state and local units of government, or other organizations or individuals providing service within a state, to submit a copy of the application to the state Single Point of Contact (SPOC). The application was submitted on June 30, 2011. The delay was due to a possible last minute labor negotiation deal between the AAPOA and the City that would have either negated the need to apply for the grant or would have required the application to be changed as to the purpose for which the officers would be hired. The SEMCOG SPOC was apprised of this when the application was made and advised to wait until it was known if the application as submitted would be changed.
As the 2011 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant Program 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 received the grant funds to the Police Services budget for expenditure during the life of the grant without regard to fiscal year.
Staff
Prepared by: Greg Bazick, Deputy Chief, Police Services Unit
Reviewed by: Barnett Jones, Safety Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, On May 2, 2011, the Unites States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services released the local government solicitation for the 2011 COPS Hiring Program Grant;
Whereas, CHP is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies having primary law enforcement authority to impact their community policing capacity and problem solving efforts.
Whereas, Subject to federal funding availability, grant funding nationwide may be available for the hiring and rehiring of career law enforcement officers;
Whereas, FY 2011 CHP grants will provide 100 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and benefits for three years (36 months) for newly-hired, full-time sworn officer positions (including filling existing unfunded vacancies) or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a specific future date, as a result of local budget cuts;
Whereas, There is no local match requirement or cap on the amount of funding that can be requested per officer position, but CHP grant funding will be based on an agency's current entry-level salary and fringe benefits packages;
Whereas, Any additional costs for higher than entry-level salaries and fringe benefits will be the responsibility of the grantee agency.
Whereas, All agencies' requests will be capped at no more than 5% of their actual sworn force strength reported at the time of application, up to a maximum of 50 officers;
Whereas, At the conclusion of federal funding, grantees must retain all sworn officer positions awarded under the CHP grant for a minimum of one year (12 months);
Whereas, The retained CHP-funded position(s) should be added to the grantee's law enforcement budget with state and/or local funds, over and above the number of locally-funded positions that would have existed in the absence of the grant;
Whereas, The deadline for submission of an application on-line to the United States Department of Justice, COPS office was May 25, 2011 and the Mayor authorized Police Services to submit an application on May 24, 2011 to ensure the deadline was met.
Whereas, The application was submitted for five (5) officers at a total amount of $1,398,745.00.
Whereas, Authorization to accept and appropriate the grant, if awarded, is contingent upon approval of Council;
Whereas, The 2011 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant requires under Federal Executive Order 12372 that applicants from state and local units of government, or other organizations or individuals providing service within a state, to submit a copy of the application to the state Single Point of Contact (SPOC);
Whereas, The application was submitted to the SPOC on June 30, 2011;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the submitted grant agreement with the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services indicating its acceptance of the grant and its terms;
RESOLVED, That if awarded the grant, City Council accept the 2011 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) Grant in the amount of $1,398,745.00 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 the life of the grant 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, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services after approval as to form by the City Attorney and to take all necessary actions to implement this Resolution, including all necessary accounting measures acceptable to the funder to identify grant funds and their disbursement.