Title
Ordinance in the Amount of $191,755 Amending the State, Federal, and Other Grants Fund Budget for the Appropriation of Federal Grant Funds for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Allotment FY 2015
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Department: Police
Council District: All
Public Hearing: NA
Advertising Date/By: NA
Contact 1 and Phone: Capt. JW Thompson, 373-7543
Contact 2 and Phone: Stephanie Moore, 373-2352
PURPOSE:
Collectively, the City of Greensboro, City of High Point and Guilford County have been awarded Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program FY 2015 funding for $191,755. This is a disparate allocation and will be assigned as follows: the City of Greensboro $103,460; City of High Point $39,974; and Guilford County $48,321. The Greensboro Police Department will serve as the lead/fiscal agency for the FY 15 JAG for the award period of October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2018.
In accordance with current City fiscal procedures to accept this grant, approval of a budget ordinance is also required by City Council.
BACKGROUND:
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program awards are authorized by 42 U.S.C. § 3751(a). They are formula-based, non-competitive federal criminal justice funds which do not require a match. JAG allocations are based on violent crime and population and the local unit of government award allocations are based on their proportion of the state’s 3-year violent crime average.
The Greensboro Police Department will use their allocation of $103,460 to purchase two patrol vehicles; thereby, increasing the department’s fleet. Additional fleet vehicles (specifically patrol cars) are a need given the redistribution of patrol and community response team personnel related to the implementation of the department’s Neighborhood Oriented Policing (NOP) Plan.
The High Point Police Department will use their allocation of $39,974 to purchase 9 in-car cameras. HPPD is presently working towards equipping all police patrol vehicles with in-car cameras. The cameras enhance officers safety, improve accountability, reduce liability, simplify incident review, enhance officer training, improve community perception, strengthen police leadership, advance prosecution and case resolution, enhance officer performance and professionalism, and, in the worst cases, can speak for an officer when the officer is unable to speak for him/herself.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department will use their allocation of $48,321 to purchase body-worn cameras. The cameras will memorialize interactions with citizens and the execution of law enforcement services. The video will provide the officer’s perspective and will allow for evaluation of their actions as well as the actions of the citizens encountered. The Sheriff’s Office will deploy this invaluable technological equipment in an effort to promote transparency in law enforcement operations.
BUDGET IMPACT:
This is a reimbursement grant; no match required. The funds will be housed in grant account #220-3560-01.Any expenses exceeding the JAG funding will be absorbed by each agency’s budget. Expense reimbursement requests will be processed quarterly and dispersed to the partnering agencies upon receipt of funds by the City of Greensboro from the Office of Justice Programs.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED:
The Greensboro Chief of Police requests City Council’s consideration to adopt the associated budget ordinance for the Appropriation of Federal Grant Funds for Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Allotment FY 2015 in the amount of $191,755, the total grant amount to be distributed to the three law enforcement agencies on a reimbursement basis.