HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - PUBLIC SAFETY BDGT-MOBILE UNIT (2)CONSENT CALENDAR
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT:
Agenda Item: 3
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by:
August 27, 2013
Casey Bingham
PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET -MOBILE COMMAND UNIT
PURCHASE AND DRUG FORFEITURE FUND ALLOCATION
City Manager's Office
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve an expenditure of $100,000 from Public Safety account 16000-5161.050 to
acquire a mobile command center for the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) Sheriff s
Department.
2. Approve the appropriation of $38,763.99 in drug forfeiture funds to the City's designated
State Drug Forfeiture expenditure account 16151-5161.001, and the appropriation of
revenue of $38,763.99 to the State Drug Forfeiture revenue account 259-4201.002.
BACKGROUND
Mobile Command Unit
This request is to expend the City's portion of a joint purchase with Los Angeles County and
Los Angeles County Sheriff s Department (LASD) to acquire a mobile command center for
the SCV Sheriff's Department.
The mobile command unit will serve as the Sheriff s headquarters whenever there is any type
of natural disaster cutting power to the Sheriffs station or when the base of operations for the
Sheriffs Department needs to be transported to a different location. The command center is
self-contained, can be used by first -responder personnel in any type of community
APPROVEM
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emergency, and has everything the SCV Sheriffs Department needs to efficiently direct a
mobile emergency response to anywhere in the Santa Clarita Valley. The unit will have its
own generator with both heating and cooling capabilities. The mobile command post also has
features such as: conference table/chairs, individual work stations, flat -panel monitors, LASD
communication systems, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, fax/copy machine, white boards, armory and a
restroom.
The actual cost of the mobile command unit is $300,000. The purchase of the unit is a joint
effort between LASD, Supervisor Michael Antonovich's office, and the City of Santa Clarita.
Each entity is contributing $100,000 toward this effort. This request is to provide the City's
portion of the joint funding from the City's Public Safety account.
The $100,000 was approved as part of the FY 13-14 budget. The LASD has agreed to
maintain this unit so there will be no ongoing costs for the City associated with this action.
Drug Forfeiture Funds
As part of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, Federal officials were authorized
to implement a national asset forfeiture program. Asset forfeiture is the authorization to
share Federal forfeiture proceeds with cooperating state and local law enforcement agencies
Funds under the program are made available to local governments based on assets seized
during criminal investigations and provided to jurisdictions based on their level of
participation in the investigation resulting in the seizure. The asset forfeiture program allows
law enforcement, such as LASD, to turn criminal profits into supplemental funding which is
used to address drug trafficking and related illegal activities. In July 2013, LASD received
asset forfeiture funds in the amount of $38,763.99 for participating in a series of drug
enforcement operations in 2012.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Guide to Equitable Sharing for State and Local Law
Enforcement Agencies (Guide) was created to maintain the integrity of the equitable sharing
program so that it can continue to merit public confidence and support. This Guide assists
state and local law enforcement agencies participating in the program by clarifying the
directives they must follow to obtain and use equitably shared funds.
Equitable shared funds must be used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement
purposes only. The following is a list from the Guide of permissible uses of drug forfeiture
funds received:
• Law Enforcement investigations
• Training
• Detention facilities
• Law enforcement equipment
• Awards and memorials
• Drug and gang education programs
Overtime for enforcement operations
Temporary position appointment
The primary use of the drug forfeiture funds will be for the SCV Sheriffs Department to
purchase law enforcement equipment and attend trainings. All participating law enforcement
agencies must implement standard accounting procedures and internal controls such as
tracking and receipts, and depositing funds into a separate revenue account or accounting
code to track equitably shared monies. The City of Santa Clarita is already tracking and
utilizing a drug forfeiture revenue account 259 -4201.002 -Drug Forfeiture and Seizure, and
two drug forfeiture expenditure accounts, 16151 -5161.001 -Drug Forfeiture State and
16150 -5161.001 -Drug Forfeiture Federal.
This agenda item is requesting Council approval to appropriate $38,763.99 in drug forfeiture
funds to the City's designated State Drug Forfeiture expenditure account 16151-5161.001,
and the appropriation of revenue of $38,763.99 to the State Drug Forfeiture revenue account
259-4201.002.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Do not approve of the mobile command unit purchase or allocation of drug forfeiture
funds.
2. Other direction as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The mobile command unit expenditure was included in the FY 13-14 public safety budget.
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has agreed to maintain the mobile command
unit so there will be no ongoing costs associated with this action. The Drug Forfeiture money
is new revenue.
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