REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: PACO BALDERRAMA, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: BURKE FARRAH, Deputy Police Chief
Patrol Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the FY 2022 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant, herein referred to as the COPS Metro Bike Unit grant
1. Authorize the Chief of Police or his designee to accept $1,500,000 in grant funding for the 2022 COPS Hiring Program grant awarded to the Fresno Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and to execute all related documents applicable to the COPS Hiring Program
2. ***RESOLUTION -Adopt the 10th Amendment to Position Authorization Resolution (“PAR”) No. 2022-153 entitled “a Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno establishing the number of positions authorized in the various departments and offices of the City for fiscal year 2023”; adding twelve full-time Police Officer positions to the Fresno Police Department (subject to Mayor’s veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council authorize acceptance of $1,500,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, allowing the Chief of Police or his designee to enter into and execute the agreement and any amendments or modifications and adopt the 10th Amendment to Position Authorization Resolution No. 2022-153 adding twelve (12) full-time police officer positions to the Fresno Police Department. Funds have been awarded for the Metro Bike Unit to patrol the violent/gun crime areas in the Central (Tower District), Southeast (Kings Canyon Avenue), Northeast (El Dorado Park) and Northwest (Shaw Avenue corridor) Districts within the Patrol Division.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno has been awarded grant funds of $1,500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to assist with patrolling violent/gun crime areas. The grant period is from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2027. The grant will fund a maximum of 12 new-hire police officer positions for a period of 36-months, followed by a 12-month mandatory retention period. The 12 Police Officer positions be added to the Metro Bike utilizing the Department’s existing process for special unit assignments.
BACKGROUND
The project is centered around the expansion of the Metro Bike Teams in four high crime areas within the City of Fresno.
Having the bike teams is one piece of the overall strategy to sustainably reduce violent crime in Fresno. The project area encompasses four policing districts in the City of Fresno, and all residents of Fresno will benefit from the project. The goal of the project is to build community trust and legitimacy with the residents and youth of Fresno, reduce violent crimes in Fresno by identifying, investigating, and prosecuting armed violent crime offenders. The specific violent crimes the project will focus on reducing are homicides and non-fatal shootings. The Metro Bike Teams would collaborate with and support existing initiatives, including the existing Fresno National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) site, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) task force, Fresno Police Department Street Violence Bureau (SVB), the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), Valley Crime Stoppers, and community partners and residents. The Metro Bike Teams will serve as a force-multiplier for other partner initiatives and Fresno Police Department units, including uniformed personnel. Major areas the project will focus on are comprehensive analysis of community policing, community awareness, community trust, legitimacy, and transparency.
The current Metro Bike Unit working in the downtown Fresno area primarily works day-shift hours primarily due to the hours the businesses in the area are open. To comply with the Grant requirement of not supplanting existing Police Officer positions, 12 Police Officer positions will be added that and will follow Department’s existing bidding process for special unit assignments consistent with the MOU. The enhanced Metro Bike Unit will be assigned to work afternoon and evening hours. The days off will be staggered to provide ample coverage of their respective area.
This project focuses on four critical areas within the City of Fresno. The four problem areas are Tower District, located in Central Fresno; Kings Canyon Avenue, located in Southeast Fresno; Shaw Avenue Corridor located in Northwest Fresno and El Dorado Park, located in Northeast Fresno. These areas have experienced significant violent crime, and providing additional resources to reduce crime and build community trust and legitimacy is the primary focus. The crimes being committed include but are not limited to homicide, robbery - commercial and person, felony assault, sexual assault, gun crimes, burglaries, auto theft, and graffiti. These areas are also frequented by the unhoused population, and they too are being victimized. Bikes have the ability to provide greater accessibly to closed and hard to reach areas; thereby acting as “boots on the ground” and providing officers the opportunity to contact patrons of business, residents in the community with the concerted effort of building trust and legitimacy as well as reducing gun violence with their presence in these areas.
This is not subject to meet and confer because the added positions are in existing classifications, and the implementation of the grant is consistent with existing MOU language.
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
As part of the local match requirement for the COPS Hiring Program, this grant award requires a match of 66.59% of the total project costs of $4,489,470.36, which equates to $2,989,470.36 of net impact to the general fund over the three-year grant period.
As part of the grant award requirements, the City of Fresno must plan to retain all 12 sworn Police officer positions awarded under the COPS Hiring Program award for a minimum of 12 months at the conclusion of 36 months of federal funding for each position. Employees achieving permanent status will remain permanent employees under the Fresno Municipal Code, and the Department will absorb the cost of the positions in the General Fund.
Attachments: Grant Agreement
10th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution No. 2022-153