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APPROVE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING GRANT FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-GANG PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH IN THE AMOUNT OF $230,000
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to accept a Comprehensive Anti-Gang Programs for Youth grant award allocation from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), in the amount of $230,000; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all grant award documents as required by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and accept applicable terms and conditions; and
3. Amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 Annual Budget to increase the Police Grants & Special Programs revenue and expenditure appropriation by $230,000; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to take whatever actions are necessary and appropriate to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution.
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Summary
The OJJDP released a solicitation on March 25, 2020, for the FY 2020 Comprehensive Anti-Gang Programs for Youth. The award provides funding to assist eligible states, local units of government, and tribes in developing and addressing serious, violent, and entrenched youth street gang problems while also addressing the root causes of criminal gang activity within a community. The Stockton Police Department (SPD) is eligible to accept grant funding from the OJJDP for the period of October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2023. As with most federal grant awards, the effective date is the start date of the federal fiscal year in which the grant is awarded. However, funds will not be released by the granting agency until the grant award is accepted and the agreement is executed. Funds awarded under the OJJDP program will be utilized to support suppression strategies, including anti-gang enforcement missions and undercover operations.
DISCUSSION
Background
The SPD submitted a grant application in May 2020, with the overall goal of addressing and decreasing the violent street gang problems within the City of Stockton. Program funds will support weekend missions to identify problem areas, gather data, and build relationships within the affected communities of violent juvenile gang offenders. The Gang Violence Suppression Unit (GVSU), with the assistance of the Ceasefire Intervention Unit (CIU) and the Crime Analysis unit, will build intelligence information and proceed to work with communities to mobilize, socially intervene, and deter juvenile gang activity through a variety of enforcement strategies. In addition, successful applicants are expected to participate in cross-site grantee meetings in each year of the project and budget for representatives to travel to attend these meetings.
Present Situation
The SPD proposes to use the OJJDP program funds to support intervention and suppression strategies that target youth involved in group or gang violence. Building upon the City’s established violence reduction partnerships, this grant will provide additional financial resources to allow a more targeted approach to address youth violence. Increased efforts will be made towards identifying persons most at-risk and driving community violence by leveraging the combined resources of the SPD and the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP). Those efforts include investigating criminal acts, building intelligence on gang membership and group dynamics, and using law enforcement ally resources with probation and parole to identify and arrest violent offenders. Efforts will be made to identify youth associated with a gang but have not yet committed criminal acts and refer them to the OVP for the appropriate intervention efforts. Specific enforcement missions conducted throughout the grant period will focus on groups actively driving the violence in the community. Grant funding will support several missions a year.
In November 2020, the SPD received notification from OJJDP awarding funds in FY 2020-21 in the amount of $230,000.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The SPD’s Investigations Division will be responsible for coordinating operations of the grant program. The grant program does not require matching funds and will have no impact on the General Fund.
A budget appropriation in FY 2020-21 is requested for grant revenue and expenses in the amount of $230,000 to the Other Special Revenue Programs, OJJDP Anti-Gang Programs for Youth Account No. 025-2479 in the Police Grants & Special Programs Fund.