AgdaPkt 2007-02-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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.'. . . . ,. . .' . . . '. . . . .. . . . .,. . . . - ..., . . .. . . . . . . , . .. . . . . . ... " .. . .. . . .., ".' ..'. .. . To .the'Hol1orable'.M'ayorandCity.Council. . . .' .. 'frqmtheQi.t~M~.nftg~r January 17, 2007 Subject The proposed use of 2006 Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) funds of $148,093 by the Redwood City Police Department. Recommendation After completion of the public hearing, approve by motion, the Police Chief's recommendation to dedicate $85,000 of the Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) funds to the salaries and benefits of the new police officer positions approved by City Council pursuant to the staffing study of 1997. The Police Chief recommends that the remaining funds, $63,093, be dedicated to the acquisition of equipment and supplies needed by the police department. Background For the eleventh consecutive year, the Redwood City Police Department has received a State COPS grant. These funds may only be used for "front line" municipal police services, such as personnel, equipment, and programs necessary to meet police service needs within Redwood City. The money must be used to supplement existing services and may not be used to supplant any existing funding for law enforcement services. Additionally, the requests from the Chief of Police for expenditure of COPS funds must be considered separate and apart from the process applicable to proposed allocations of the City's general fund, Le., separately from the general budgetary process. State law requires that the City Council hold a public hearing to consider written requests by the Police Chief for the expenditure of COPS funds. It is the Police Chiefs recommendation that $85,000 of this year's award be dedicated to the salaries and benefits of the new police officer positions approved by City Council pursuant to the staffing study. The Police Chief recommends that the remaining funds, $63,093 be dedicated to the acquisition of equipment, supplies, and training related to traffic enforcement, gang enforcement, boating enforcement, criminal investigations, and SWAT. Alternatives The grant funds may be used for any "front line" municipal police services. Fiscal Impact When the FY2006-07 budget was adopted by Council in July 2006, staff projected that the City would receive only $85,000 from this grant and included an appropriation for this amount in the FY2006-07 budget. The City has since been notified that we will receive $148,093 in COPS grant funds this year. Accordingly, the additional $63,093 needs to be appropriated. Staff will include this amount in the mid- year budget appropriations that will be presented to Council later this year. The COPS grant has no requirement that the recipient agency provide matching funds.