DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Approval to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) for the FY 2020 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking program.
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the acceptance of a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) grant titled FY 2020 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Program. The grant period will be from the date of award, October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2023. This grant, not to exceed $650,000, will help augment the San Antonio Police Department’s (SAPD) efforts to enhance anti-human trafficking law enforcement, victim services to victims of human trafficking, and conduct both proactive and reactive investigations of sex trafficking crimes. This ordinance will authorize an in-kind match not to exceed $242,305 and will establish a total budget of $892,305 for the grant.
A briefing on this grant was presented to Public Safety Committee on October 20, 2020, and the Committee recommended this item for City Council approval.
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.
The City first received this grant in 2016 and has used the funds 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 has covered overtime expenses for investigative and sting operations, equipment, training and operational costs. Additionally, it has been used to coordinate and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies.
The grant application was submitted to OJP on May 18, 2020. The Human Trafficking grant will pay for investigations on both proactive and reactive human and sex trafficking cases on an overtime basis to help augment the SAPD’s efforts to reduce the incidences of human trafficking in our community.
SAPD will partner with Baptist Children and Family Services (BCFS) in order to provide a victim-centered approach and expand the current Human Trafficking Task Force operations and partnerships and assist OJP in building the capacity of other task forces in the field.
SAPD and BCFS 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. 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. SAPD and BCFS will conduct proactive investigations to provide victim services once they are identified.
ISSUE:
The proposed ordinance continues City Council's policy of seeking intergovernmental financial assistance for human trafficking enforcement programs. The program will enhance the City's efforts in combatting human trafficking crimes.
ALTERNATIVES:
This grant provides the Police Department with additional resources to address human trafficking.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) grant titled FY 2020 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Program. The grant period will be from the date of award, October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2023. This grant, not to exceed $650,000, will help augment the San Antonio Police Department’s (SAPD) efforts to enhance anti-human trafficking law enforcement, victim services to victims of human trafficking, and conduct both proactive and reactive investigations of sex trafficking crimes. This ordinance will authorize an in-kind match not to exceed $242,305 and will establish a total budget of $892,305 for the grant. This grant does not require a cash match from the City’s General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance to accept grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.