DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Briefing and possible action on San Antonio Police Department grants:
A. Grant in an amount up to $250,000.00 from the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division (OOG/CJD), Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for the purchase of an additional acquisition workstation for expanded participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National (BATF) Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program.
B. Grant in an amount up to $291,972.00 from the U.S. Department of Justice to support the Child Welfare Strategic Alliance Program (Bexar County will serve as the grant fiscal agent).
SUMMARY:
The San Antonio Police Department will provide the Public Safety Committee with a briefing on the following two grants which have been awarded:
A. Office of the Governor (OOG), Criminal Justice Division (CJD) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for the purchase of an acquisition workstation for expanded participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National (BATF) Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. The amount of this grant is not to exceed $250,000.
B. 2020 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for a Child Welfare Strategic Alliance Program, a City/County project addressing child sexual abuse/assault, not to exceed $291,972.00
The acceptance of these grants is scheduled for City Council approval in “A” Session on September 3, 2020.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
OOG/CJD Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
A grant application was submitted to the OOG/CJD on June 1, 2020, requesting an amount not to exceed $250,000.00 to purchase and install an additional NIBIN system consisting of one workstation with all related equipment.
The NIBIN Program automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner. NIBIN is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States and is available to most major population centers in the United States.
The program uses an integrated investigative approach that works in concert with Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in combating firearms-related violence using ballistic imaging technology to compare images of ballistic evidence obtained from crime scenes and firearms. The mission of the program is to reduce firearms violence through proactive focus, investigation, and prosecution of shooters and their sources of crime guns.
Participation in this program is expressly restricted to the sharing of ballistic imaging of firearms data associated with crimes recovered by any law enforcement agency in the United States and international law enforcement partners who have entered into agreements with Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (BATF).
The SAPD currently is utilizing one NIBIN workstation, which was purchased with grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Technology Innovation for Public Safety (TIPS) grant. The success of the current NIBIN program has resulted in the BATF requesting its expansion with the inclusion of a second workstation.
Upon acceptance of the grant the SAPD will initiate the procurement process with Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology Inc. and will enter into a contract for the purchase, installation and maintenance of the second NIBIN/BrassTRAX system.
Department of Justice to support the Child Welfare Strategic Alliance Program
Justice Assistance Grants were first awarded in 2005. Provisions of the grant require the City and Bexar County to submit a joint application. The grant funds are used to support a joint City/County project for addressing child sexual abuse/assault.
The funds for the 2020 JAG grant will be used to continue supporting the joint City/County project called Child Welfare Strategic Alliance Program. The purpose of the project is to conduct joint investigations with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, the District Attorney's Office, the Bexar County Housing and Human Services Department, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, and ChildSafe.
The City's portion of the grant will be used to continue to fund two (2) Detective Investigator positions. These Detective Investigators will investigate sexual abuse/assault cases involving children. Tasked with the investigation of more than 28 different offenses, a large portion of the Special Victims Unit's caseload involves children as victims. The City will have a cash match obligation of $15,074.00 in order to fully fund the two positions and their operations.
The County will utilize the FY2020 JAG grant to continue funding grant-funded positions that are currently funded by the existing JAG programs that include problem solving courts, jail diversion, and victim advocacy. The majority of the funds will go to fund various positions (Adult & Juvenile Probation Officers, Prosecutors, Court Case Managers, etc.) in the Bexar County Drug Courts, the Bexar County District Attorney's Office, and the Juvenile and Adult Probation Offices.
The total joint grant amount for the City and Bexar County is $729,930.00 ($36,387 less than FY2019). The grant funds are to be split with $437,958.00 for the County and $291,972.00 ($14,555 less than FY2019) for the City.
Additionally, the Department of Justice has new requirements regarding certain certifications/commitments as they relate to sanctuary cities. The DOJ is requiring that a local government entity that receives funds from the FY 2020 JAG award must:
1. Permit personnel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to access any correctional or detention facility in order to meet with an alien (or an individual believed to be an alien) and inquire as to his or her right to be or remain in the United States and;
2. Provide at least 48 hours’ advance notice to DHS regarding the scheduled release date and time of an alien in the jurisdiction’s custody when DHS requests such notice in order to take custody of the alien pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Bexar County, acting as the Fiscal Agent for this grant, was responsible for submitting the grant application and all certifications, the administration of the funds, including distributing the funds, monitoring the award, submitting reports including performance measures and program assessment data.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Public Safety Committee support and forward these grants to City Council for official acceptance and approval of associated agreements. These items are scheduled to be considered in “A” Session on September 3, 2020.