AgdaPkt 2011-09-12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT 7.A. - F To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager September 12, 2011 SUBJECT Proposed use of fiscal year 2011 -2012 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funds (Byrne JAG) by the Redwood City Police Department and budget appropriation to the general fund budget RECOMMENDATION 1. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding the proposed use of federal Byrne JAG funds. 2. Approve a Resolution ratifying the City of Redwood City's Byrne JAG application and authorizing the use of $24,742 grant funding in Fiscal Year 2011 -2012 towards police equipment. BACKGROUND The Byrne JAG Program, administered by Office of Justice Program's (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance, allows state and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. These grants are allocated based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and local government receives an appropriate share of funding. The Byrne JAG Program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The program provides state and local governments with funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution and court, prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, and technology improvement, and crime victim and witness initiatives. The fiscal year 2011 -2012 Byrne JAG allocation for the City of Redwood City is $24,742. It is the Police Chief's recommendation that this grant funding be allocated for the purchase of police equipment, specifically replacement duty weapons for all sworn personnel. Most officers are currently equipped with pistols purchased and issued in 1994. These weapons are aging and in need of significant parts replacements to ensure their continued reliability and function. The proposed replacement duty weapon not only resolves the maintenance issue but is also a more current model of the pistol that is presently issued and includes several significant upgrades. These upgrades include a more versatile grip that can be customized to fit individual officers' hand sizes, improving controllability; an improved magazine release which allows easier operation; and the ability to affix accessories, such as flashlights, directly to the weapon. All of these features make the weapon a safer, more versatile option with which to equip officers. Furthermore, the police department has secured a purchasing option whereby the per unit cost of purchasing a new replacement duty weapon is only approximately $75.00 more than the cost of the replacement parts for the older pistols, making the upgraded weapon a better value. The grant amount is sufficient to replace all duty weapons currently issued to sworn personnel. age 1