DEPARTMENT: SAPD
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Anthony Treviño (Interim Police Chief)
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
FY 2015 Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking Competitive Solicitation
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the submission of a grant application and acceptance of funds upon award, not to exceed $650,000.00 submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office for Victims of Crimes (OVC) in response to the FY 2015 Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking Competitive Solicitation. This is a three year grant which would include separate but collaborative grant submittals with the Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center (RCC) as our partner agency. The funding would be to support the development and enhancement of multidisciplinary human trafficking coalition that implements collaborative approaches to combat all forms of human trafficking. There is a 25% in-kind match for the grant in the amount not to exceed $216,667 over the 3 year period.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The San Antonio Police Department is one of the founding members of the Alamo Area Coalition Against Trafficking (AACAT) and has actively participated in local human trafficking coalitions since 2009. The Coalition is a team comprised of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as local public service agencies, victim service providers, and nonprofit and faith-based organizations. The AACAT serves as a focal point for education programs, prevention strategies and public awareness campaigns in Bexar County and the surrounding areas to produce and send a unified message to the public.
The AACAT receives no direct funding to further its efforts and therefore is unable to fund a multidisciplinary human trafficking coalition which could conduct proactive victim centered investigations into the various forms of human trafficking including providing comprehensive trauma-informed services to victims.
Grant funds will be used to enhance an anti-human trafficking coalition in order to enhance anti-human trafficking law enforcement efforts, conduct investigations of human trafficking crimes and provide services to victims. Funding will cover overtime expenses for investigative and sting operations, equipment, training and operational costs and travel to specified conferences which are required by the grant. Additionally it will help establish coordination and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. This program will strengthen the working relationship between the SAPD and the Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center (RCC) in order to provide a victim centered approach for addressing this rapidly growing crime. SAPD and RCC will work to implement a multi-disciplinary approach investigating occurrences of human trafficking in order to prosecute both the traffickers and those who benefit from this crime. The program will also provide services to meet the individual needs of the victims, and to conduct public awareness campaign within our community and surrounding areas to prevent future incidents.
The SAPD and the Rape Crisis Center have a forty year history of working together for cases of sexual assault and over the last several years, human trafficking victims. Both agencies are active participants on the AACAT Coalition.
A human trafficking coalition has not been funded in the San Antonio area since 2008 when the Bexar County Sheriff's office received this grant with a partner agency of Catholic Charities.
Human trafficking is a complex crime where the victims will not seek intervention to be rescued from their traffickers. This is a crime of "hidden victims" where proactive measures must be used to seek out and prosecute the crime. By receiving this grant, SAPD and RCC would be able to conduct proactive investigations with the necessary funding to provide victim services once they are identified.
ISSUE:
This ordinance continues City Council's policy of seeking intergovernmental financial assistance for City crime prevention and enforcement programs.
ALTERNATIVES:
Without grant funding the SAPD will continue to remain in a reactive capacity with the ability to go proactive occasionally with the assistance of our federal partners.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes a program budget not to exceed $866,667.00 including $216,667.00 of in-kind contributions. No General Fund cash match will be required.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council approve the grant application and acceptance upon award. This approval will help enhance efforts to identify and prosecute cases involving human trafficking and provide trauma informed victim services to those recovered from this condition of modern day slavery.