REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 20, 2014
FROM: JERRY P. DYER, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: PATRICK FARMER, Deputy Chief
Investigative Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the 2014 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant program
1. Authorize the Chief of Police to accept $450,000 in grant funding from the United States
Department of Justice through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES),
execute the grant agreement with CalOES for the 2014 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant
program
2. ***RESOLUTION - 23rd amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2014-95 appropriating $58,000 into the Police Department's FY 2015 budget for the PSN grant program (Requires 5 affirmative votes)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Chief of Police to accept $450,000 in grant funding from the United States Department of Justice through the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), execute the grant agreement with CalOES for the 2014 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant program, and adopt the 23rd amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2014-95 appropriating $58,000 into the Police Department's FY 2015 budget for the PSN grant program. The remaining grant funds will be incorporated into the FY 2016 budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The United States Department of Justice, through CalOES, awarded the City of Fresno $450,000 in grant funding for the PSN Task Force to support a civil gang injunction, dedicate jail beds for gang and gun related offenders, create a Gangs & Illegal Guns public service announcement campaign, and implement a youth development program. The Fresno Police Department, in partnership with the Fresno County Sheriff's Department, the United States Attorney's Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney's Office, will coordinate enforcement and prosecution for gun/gang offenders. An educational component in the form of a youth development program facilitated by a local community based organization, and a project evaluation by California State University, Fresno, will also be incorporated in this grant. The grant performance period begins on January 1, 2015, and concludes on September 30, 2016.
BACKGROUND
The citizens of the City of Fresno and Fresno County continue to be impacted by gang violence and gang-related crimes. The City of Fresno was designated as one of the twenty-five "High Intensity Gang Areas" (HIGAS) in California. According to the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), of the 24,000 validated gang members and associates in 141 established gangs within the County of Fresno, there are approximately 10,100 validated gang members and between 5,000 and 10,000 associates in the City of Fresno. The remaining validated gang members and associates reside in outlying cities within Fresno County.
Reducing gang and gun violence requires a true multi-discipline collaborative community effort. The Fresno Police Department was recently awarded $450,000 in 2014 PSN grant funding to assist in our efforts to reduce gang violence and gang related shootings.
If approved, grant funds will augment MAGEC and the PSN Task Force by adding support for a civil gang injunction in identified gang-impacted neighborhoods dedicating jail beds for gang/gun offenders, creating a public service announcement campaign, and implementing a youth development program.
Grant funds will purchase direct project supplies for use by the Fresno Ceasefire staff, and fund training and overtime for enforcement operations related to gangs, gang violence, and illegal firearms.
PSN grant requirements mandate a portion of funding is designated for a community based youth organization. We have identified the Friends of Calwa which will implement "Nature and Nurture", a positive youth development program for children ages 11 to 15 who reside in the targeted area. The program is designed to develop leadership skills, strengthen self-esteem, learn community values and exercise self-empowerment. The program's goal is to reduce the occurrence of youth gang-related incidents and increase positive outcomes for young people with a high risk for gang involvement.
PSN grant requirements also mandate that at least 20% of the funding is earmarked for a local research partner to work with PSN Task Force and analyze local crime problems, while assisting in development of a proactive plan to reduce gun crime and/or gang violence. We have identified California State University, Fresno, as the local research partner.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a "project" for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because the AAR does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this program will not have a negative impact on the City of Fresno's General Fund. This is a reimbursement-based grant and all expenditures will be reimbursed on a quarterly basis. The 23rd Amendment AAR 2014-95 has been approved and is attached; there are no future obligations once the performance period has expired and all funds expended.
Attachment:
23rd Amendment AAR 2014-95