REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
July 26, 2018
FROM: JERRY P. DYER, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: ANDREW J. HALL, Deputy Chief
Support & Special Services Divisions
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant program
1. Authorize the Chief of Police to accept $129,155 in grant funding for the 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant program awarded to the Fresno Police Department from the State of California Department of Justice
2. Authorize the Chief of Police to execute the agreement and all related documents applicable to the 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant program
3. ***RESOLUTION - 2nd amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2018-157 appropriating $64,900 for the Police Department’s Tobacco Law Enforcement grant. (Requires 5 affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor’s veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council authorize acceptance of $129,155 in grant funding from the 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant program, allowing the Chief of Police to enter into and execute the agreement and all program required documents, and adopt the 2nd Amendment to AAR No 2018-157 to appropriate $64,900 into the FY 2019 budget. Funds have been awarded for the 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant to the Fresno Police Department’s Traffic Bureau. The remaining funds will be realized in the FY 2020 budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California Department of Justice has awarded $129,155 in grant funding to the Fresno Police Department to provide prevention, education, and enforcement of tobacco related enforcement issues. The grant period is from June 1, 2018 to July 30, 2020. The funding will be for officer overtime for enforcement operations related to current tobacco law, program related operations, and supplies.
BACKGROUND
With 668 premises licensed to sell tobacco within the City of Fresno, the Department realizes the importance of issues related to tobacco education, enforcement, and abuse prevention. The Tobacco Law Enforcement grant Program’s goal is to increase tobacco awareness; educate officers, licensees and the community on laws involving tobacco sales including vaping, and to hold licensees accountable. This can be accomplished by: Roll Call Training Bulletins; educating Patrol Officers and Student Resource Officers on regulations for establishments that sell tobacco, providing education to the community, licensees and their employees; and other undercover operations (Minor Decoy, Shoulder Tap, etc.).
Sales of tobacco to minors and furnishing tobacco related products to minors remain among the top tobacco-related concerns of the community and law enforcement. Undercover operations have shown that licensees continue to sell tobacco to minors and adults occasionally purchase tobacco products for minors in violation of the law. These operations serve to identify violators, hold accountable and discourage others from selling to minors.
In 2017, the Fresno Police Department responded to 424,785 calls for service an increase of 7% over 2016. Approximately 500 of these calls were tobacco or cigarette related. The tobacco related calls where persons were either cited or contacted ranged from theft of cigarettes by juvenile suspects to juveniles trying to get adults to purchase tobacco products for them; and loitering outside of the business harassing customers asking for cigarettes. Many of these calls were within a ¼ to ½ mile from either a Fresno Unified School District elementary, middle or high school or the California State University, Fresno campus.
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 2017-2018 Tobacco Law Enforcement grant program along with the corresponding revenue will be added to the Department’s State grant fund for FY 2019. This funding will enable FPD to proactively prevent underage tobacco use and the sale of tobacco to minors through education and enforcement within the City of Fresno.
Attachment: 2nd Amendment to Annual Appropriations Resolution No. 2018-157
Memorandum of Understanding Grant Agreement with California Department of Justice