TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents to receive and expend $600,000 in grant funding from the California Board of State and Community Corrections for the Strengthening Law Enforcement and Community Relations Grant for the term of July 1, 2016 to August 30, 2018; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Police Department (PD) by $600,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In May 2014, the City Council approved the adoption of the Safe Long Beach Violence Prevention Plan (Safe Long Beach). Safe Long Beach is a comprehensive strategic plan for action to prevent violence in families, schools and communities. To support the goals of Safe Long Beach, the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) has awarded the City of Long Beach (City) with the Strengthening Law Enforcement and Community Relations Grant (Grant) in the amount of $600,000.
The BSCC Grant is intended to fund collaborative law enforcement-community approaches that aim to improve, strengthen, establish or re-establish positive and meaningful relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This opportunity aligns with President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which was created to strengthen community policing and trust among law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.
The BSCC issued the grant solicitation to strengthen law enforcement programs and community relationships by providing:
• Training for all peace officers on issues such as implicit bias and procedural justice;
• Assessing the state of law enforcement-community relations;
• Comparing the status quo with the best practices in the policing profession;
• Receiving recommendations for moving forward; and,
• Providing Community-Police and Youth-Police Dialogues that address the needs of victims, offenders and the community.
Moreover, this funding aligns with the goals of the Safe Communities strategy of Safe Long Beach by providing community engagement opportunities in the form of Community-Police and Youth-Police Dialogues and the Community Police Academy Program. These dialogues will be facilitated and coordinated by a community partner, the California Conference of Equality and Justice (CCEJ), particularly in the realm of increasing cultural competency. The CCEJ will also provide implicit bias training to the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). The LBPD will serve as the fiscal agent for this Grant award, with administrative support provided by the Development Services Department.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Monica J. Kilaita on June 22, 2016 and by Budget Operations Administrator Grace Yoon on June 29, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on July 19, 2016, to allow timely implementation of the program activities. The Grant period began July 1, 2016.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Grant award totaling $600,000 is not currently budgeted. Therefore, an appropriation increase in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Police Department (PD) in the amount of $600,000 is requested. The BSCC requires a local match totaling 20 percent of the grant award in the amount of $120,000. This obligation will be met through $30,000 in staff time from the LBPD and a $90,000 in-kind match from the CCEJ. There is no local job impact as a result of this recommended action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
ROBERT LUNA
CHIEF OF POLICE
AMY J. BODEK, AICP
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER