TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any necessary documents, including subsequent amendments, with the California Department of Justice to accept and expend grant funding up to $11,221, to supplement existing funds to process untested sexual assault evidence backlogs, from the Untested Sexual Assault Evidence Grant Backlog Reduction Program, for the grant period of July 21, 2021 to June 30, 2023; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the Police Department by $11,221, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) was awarded the Untested Sexual Assault Evidence Grant Backlog Reduction Program grant from the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The purpose of the grant award is to supplement existing funds to process untested sexual assault evidence backlogs.
LBPD’s Sex Crimes Detail (Detail) in the Investigations Bureau’s Detective Division, performed a recent audit of Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) kits from 2009 to 2020 and found that 46 cases with forensic evidence may not have been processed. This prompted the Detail to want to perform an additional audit to review SART kits from 2000 to 2008 to ensure their processing as well. The Detail will be tasked with physically verifying that forensic evidence was processed and if not, determining if the case meets the criteria for examination based on statute, current laws, and the will of the reported victims.
The Detail will assign four Detectives, one Sergeant, and one Special Services Officer to audit, research, review and approve SART kits currently in inventory from 2000 to 2008, as well as the 46 SART kits identified in the previous audit from 2009 to 2020. One Property Clerk from the Evidence Control System will be assigned to transport the SART kits to and from the Los Angeles County Crime Laboratory. The grant award will be used to fund approximately 140 overtime hou...
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