DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of a grant in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00 from the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant (Special Invitation) for the purchase of an acquisition workstation for participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National (BATF) Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program.
SUMMARY:
An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of a grant in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00 from the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant for the purchase of an acquisition workstation for participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National (BATF) Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program.
Authorizing the Chief of Police as the grantee’s authorized official to execute all documents associated with this grant on behalf of the City.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On June 1, 2020, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) submitted a Grant Application Authorization to apply for a special invitation grant from the Office of the Governor (OOG), Criminal Justice Division (CJD) for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) for the purchase of an additional BrassTRAX Acquisition Workstation to expand the SAPD’s participation in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).
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 aggressive targeting, 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.
The Public Safety Committee was briefed on this grant on August 25, 2020, and the Committee voted to recommend this item for approval at the September 3, City Council “A” Session.
ISSUE:
The proposed ordinance continues the City Council's policy of seeking intergovernmental financial assistance for City crime prevention and enforcement programs addressing violent crime and gun crime.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a grant in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00 from the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant (Special Invitation) for the purchase of an acquisition workstation for participation in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms National (BATF) Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. This grant does not require a cash match from the City.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends acceptance of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to expand its National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program within the San Antonio Police Department.