REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 21, 2018
FROM: JERRY P. DYER, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: ANDREW J. HALL, Deputy Chief
Support & Special Services Divisions
SUBJECT
Title
***Resolution - Authorize the Chief of Police to accept $100,000 in grant funding for the 2018/2019 Alcoholic Beverage Control grant awarded to the Fresno Police Department from the State of California Alcoholic Beverage Control (Subject to Mayor’s veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council authorize acceptance of $100,000 in grant funding from the State of California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), allowing the Chief of Police to enter into and execute the agreement and all program required documents. Funds have been awarded for the 2018/2019 Alcoholic Beverage Control grant to the Fresno Police Department’s (Department’s) ABC Enforcement Program (ABC Program).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ABC has awarded $100,000 in grant funding to the Department to provide prevention, education, and enforcement of alcohol related enforcement issues. The grant period is from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. The funding will assist with the cost of the detective assigned to the grant, program related operations, and training. Funding has been incorporated into the FY 2019 budget.
BACKGROUND
With 1,078 premises licensed to serve or sell alcohol within the City of Fresno (548 off-sale and 530 on-sale), the Department realizes the importance of issues related to alcoholic beverage education, enforcement, and abuse prevention. The ABC Program’s goal is to increase alcohol awareness by educating officers, the community, as well as licensees and their employees. It is also our goal to hold licensees accountable. Educating officers can be accomplished by attending department Roll Call Training Sessions (shift briefings) within the five policing districts, meeting with the district POP (Problem Oriented Policing) Detectives, Student Resource Officers, Student Neighborhood Resource Officers, and our Intelligence Officers. Community education can be accomplished by providing educational information and facts to the public at different community outreach events, school functions, etc. Educating licensees and their employees can be accomplished by utilizing LEAD’s training, conducting Informed Merchants Preventing Alcohol Crime Tendencies (IMPACT) inspections, Retail Operating Standards Task Force (ROSTF) operations, assisting with DUI checkpoints, saturation, pedestrian safety operations, bar watch operations as well as conducting undercover operations throughout the city (ie: Minor Decoy, Shoulder Tap and Trap Door operations).
A significant problem that continues throughout the City of Fresno is the availability of alcoholic beverages to the underage youth within our community. There is a high concentration of both on-sale and off-sale licensed premises per capita within the City of Fresno. Sales of alcoholic beverages to minors remain among the top related concerns for the community and law enforcement. Continuous undercover operations conducted by the Fresno Police Department with ABC have shown that licensees and their employees sell alcohol to minors. Undercover operations have also shown that adults will knowingly, willingly and frequently purchase/provide alcoholic beverages for minors. Continued efforts are made to educate and inform licensees as well as the public to prevent the sales to and furnishing of alcohol to minors.
Driving under the influence of alcohol also continues to be a major challenge for FPD. In 2017, there were 278 DUI collisions, 82 DUI injury collisions, and 15 fatalities resulting from DUI collisions. FPD conducted 14 DUI Educational Checkpoints, and 15 Saturation Area Checks in 2017. A total of 1,457 individuals were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol within the City of Fresno. In addition, we conducted 42 “Decisions for Life” Classes with 1,645 attendees.
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 accepting grant funds does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the general fund and costs associated with the ABC grant along with the corresponding revenue have been incorporated into the FY 2019 budget. This funding will enable FPD to continue its efforts to prevent underage drinking and the sale of alcohol to minors through education and enforcement within the City of Fresno.
Attachment: Grant Agreement
Resolution