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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04. 21-372JULY 27, 2021 21-372 RESOLUTION (CARRIED___6-0_____LOST________LAID OVER________WITHDRAWN________) PURPOSE: AUTHORIZE APPLICATION FOR EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,486.00 INITIATED BY: OSHKOSH POLICE DEPARTMENT BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Oshkosh that the proper City Officials are hereby authorized to submit an application for a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to purchase equipment for the Oshkosh Police Department and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the proper City officials are hereby authorized and directed to execute any and all documents required by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the purposes of same, and are further authorized and directed, if said grant is awarded, to accept such funds pursuant to the terms of the grant application and to purchase the needed equipment with the funds. The Mission of the Oshkosh Police Department is to promote public safety and to enhance the quality of life in our community through innovative policing and community partnerships City of Oshkosh Police Department PROFESSIONALISM ● PRIDE ● INTEGRITY ● TEAMWORK Dean M. Smith Chief of Police TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Dean M. Smith, Chief of Police DATE: July 19th, 2021 RE: Authorize Application for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for the Police Department BACKGROUND The Oshkosh Police Department has been notified that we are eligible to receive a federal grant through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. Program guidelines require that the application be available for review by the governing body of the unit of local government prior to submitting the application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Grant fund eligibility to local governments and allocation amounts are determined by a formula based on the share of total violent crime reported within the state, and the City of Oshkosh, as indicated in the annual Uniform Crime Report (UCR) that we are required to submit monthly. The grant can be used to purchase equipment or fund programs needed to support public safety services and operations. The JAG grant application deadline is August 09th, 2021. The eligible allocation to the City of Oshkosh under the 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG Grant is $16,486. The Oshkosh Police Department is the only eligible law enforcement agency in Winnebago County to receive the grant, which creates a disparate allocation of funds requiring a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed with Winnebago County officials indicating how the grant will be utilized. However, because both our agencies have operational needs, this grant shall be shared with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. The City of Oshkosh will act as the fiscal agent for this grant, and the grant will be administered by the Oshkosh Police Department. ANALYSIS The Oshkosh Police Department continuously works on developing and improving our relationship and trust with the community. In our department strategic plan, one of our goals is to provide a safe, secure and healthy community. We are committed to continue efforts in improving officer training on diversity, wellness and resiliency. The 420 Jackson Street Oshkosh, WI 54901 Tel: 920-236-5720 Fax: 920-236-5087 dsmith@ci.oshkosh.wi.us www.oshkoshpd.com The Mission of the Oshkosh Police Department is to promote public safety and to enhance the quality of life in our community through innovative policing and community partnerships department has partnered with local community leaders to provide resources and coordinate partnerships to improve the community trust. The department also strives to equip its officers with proper equipment, in working order, to assist the community in emergency situations. The proceeds from this grant will be applied to both training and equipment needs. Specifically, current training requirements and re-certifications continue to exhaust the training funds allocated to our department’s operation budget. As our training requirements, opportunities and programs expand, we will incur more costs and expenses. Additionally, in 2021, we replaced steel plate carrier vests for officers, which require a different type of body-worn camera mount from what we currently issue to officers’ uniforms. We will need to purchase the correct mounts for these vests to ensure the body- worn camera is secured to the vest. We are also in need of re-stocking our gas mask canister inventory. With a shelf life of 5 years, canisters have to be replaced. A Memorandum of Understanding has been established with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, requesting funds to purchase AED units and a training cartridge to properly equip its Patrol Division. FISCAL IMPACT There will be no impact to the Oshkosh Police Department budget. RECOMMENDATION If approved, we intend to accept the grant funds as allocated and fund training and purchase the equipment indicated in this memo within the established grant timelines. The Oshkosh Police Department will act as the fiscal agent for this grant. Respectfully submitted, Approved, Dean M. Smith John Fitzpatrick Chief of Police Assistant City Manager / Director Administrative Services