DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Office of National Drug Control Policy 2018 HIDTA Grant Modification
Summary
An Ordinance authorizing receipt of additional funding, not to exceed $101,750.00, from the Office of National Drug Control Policy which will increase the 2018 San Antonio (HIDTA) grant budget from $2,071,931.00 to a proposed budget of $2,173,681.00 for the grant period January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019. The award will increase the budget for the San Antonio HIDTA Task Force by $67,000.00 with an overall budget of $838,526.00. The award will also increase the budget for the South Texas HIDTA Intelligence Center by $34,750.00 with an overall budget of $581,926.00.
Background Information
The HIDTA mission is to reduce drug trafficking in the San Antonio metropolitan area by instituting innovative narcotic enforcement investigations and the seizure of illegally obtained assets in an effort to reduce the profitability of narcotics trafficking.
The San Antonio HIDTA Initiative, multi-agency task force, performs drug interdiction operations designed to enhance the Police Department's narcotics enforcement efforts. This program allows the unit to use task force concepts that provides the capability to cross jurisdictional boundaries by employing law enforcement officers from local, state, and federal levels. The program targets narcotics organizations by focusing on the middle to upper level traffickers, and investigates the distribution of narcotics and related enterprises. Members of this unit are trained to investigate money laundering, asset structuring, financial auditing, and to apply surveillance techniques necessary to develop intelligence and make arrests.
The South Texas HIDTA Intelligence Center has a two-fold responsibility. The center will respond to inquiries from San Antonio and surrounding counties' criminal justice agencies by providing timely intelligence reports gathered from databases of the respective member agencies. Secondly, the center will act as a de-confliction unit for South Texas, which covers an area from Bexar County, south to Brownsville, and west to Del Rio. This section of the center is of paramount importance to the safety of officers in the field. It is responsible for maintaining up to date information gathered from all law enforcement agencies operating in South Texas. With information provided by these agencies, the unit will identify potential conflicts involving officer safety and immediately notify the affected agencies of the potential conflict in order to avoid possible tragic and disastrous consequences.
Fiscal Year 2019 is the twenty-sixth year this grant has been awarded to the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD). A preliminary budget breakdown by the seven (7) HIDTA programs is attached. This grant will continue to fund seventeen (17) positions. This grant serves the law enforcement agencies for San Antonio and the surrounding counties.
Issue
This Ordinance continues City Council's policy of seeking intergovernmental financial assistance for City crime prevention and enforcement programs, specifically addressing drug crime activity. The program from the Office of National Drug Control Policy will enhance the City's efforts in dealing with drug trafficking.
Alternatives
City Council could choose not to pursue this grant funding. However, that alternative would result in SAPD losing the opportunity to obtain funding for the San Antonio HIDTA Task Force and the South Texas HIDTA Intelligence Center to compensate in overtime, fringe, travel, supplies, equipment, and discretionary funds.
Fiscal Impact
This ordinance authorizes the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) to receive $101,750.00 of additional grant funds as part of the FY 2018 HIDTA Initiative. The total proposed award would increase from $2,071,931 to $2,143,681. The award will increase the budget for the San Antonio HIDTA Task Force by $67,000.00 with an overall budget of $838,526.00. The award will also increase the budget for the South Texas HIDTA Intelligence Center by $34,750.00 with an overall budget of $581,926.00.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the submission of additional funding from the Office of National Drug Control Policy for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area grant G18SS0009A.