REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
August 21, 2014
FROM: JERRY P. DYER, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: PATRICK F. FARMER, Deputy Chief
Police Department
SUBJECT
Title
*RESOLUTION - 8th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution 2014-95 appropriating $42,000 for the Child Sexual Predator Program (CSPP), funding by the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) (Requires 5 affirmative votes)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council, Adopt the 8th Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) 2014-95 appropriating $42,000 into the FY 15 budget for the continuance of a child sexual predator task force.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In October 2011 the City Council accepted the award of grant funds for $496,606 from COPS, for the 2011 COPS CSPP. The previous end date was July 31, 2014; however, the City of Fresno was granted an extension of the program to utilize remaining grant funds through January 31, 2015. Due to the extension of time, additional appropriations are needed for the FY 15 budget.
BACKGROUND
The Fresno Police Department applied for this grant through COPS, which is aimed at reducing and preventing child endangerment and protecting communities from sexual predators. The continued funding will pay for three part-time employees for the purpose of providing maximum available assistance for monitoring, investigating, and registering sexual offenders pursuant to Penal Code ยง 290 residing within the city of Fresno.
Currently, the police department monitors approximately 1,600 registered sex offenders; a growing population of homeless sex offenders is also occurring. The sex offender population (including child sexual predators) is slated to increase resulting from a recent US Supreme Court ruling to downsize the California prison population by 40,000 inmates.
Utilizing funds awarded under the CSPP grant, the police department has allowed the expansion of a proactive response to address the City's high population of registered sexual offenders. The Fresno Police Department has partnered with the US Marshal's Service and US Attorney's Office and established a task force to further protect the citizens of the greater Fresno area. The Violators Of Innocent Children Eradicated (VOICE) Task Force works with state and local agencies by monitoring and registering sex offenders, proactive responses to potential registration violations, and building cases against sex offenders (specifically child) for prosecution.
An important aspect to achieve the department's goal is the management of current registered sex offenders. Maintaining updated offender records will greatly assist the task force in the monitoring and supervision of sex offenders. The increased number of part-time employees who monitor, register and record the location and status of sex registrants is vital for the long-term goal of preventing and reducing sex crimes in this community.
The goal of the Fresno Police Department is to prevent registered sex offenders from committing crimes against person(s), and/or children.
The Fiscal Year 15 budget included $9,000 in anticipation of the grant end date of July 31, 2014, however, due to less expenditures in training and wages for part-time personnel, there are additional grant funds remaining. An extension was requested to utilize these remaining funds and an additional $42,000 is needed to augment the FY 15 budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
N/A
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
This grant will not impact the General Fund. The Grant funds will pay for the wages of three part time positions through January 31, 2015. These positions are budgeted and funded in FY 15's General Fund for the remainder of the fiscal year.
JP:PF:jg
08/21/2014
Attachment: 8th Amendment AAR 2014-95