Title
District Attorney's Office recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the acceptance of a grant award in the amount of $372,300 from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program for the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024;
2) Approve and authorize the District Attorney to execute grant award agreement DI24002, including any amendments or extensions thereof which would not increase net county cost, upon County Counsel review and approval; and
3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 145-2023, extending the expiration date of 1.0 FTE Deputy District Attorney I/II/III/IV - Limited Term position one year, through September 30, 2024.
FUNDING: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On July 14, 2023, the California OTS notified the District Attorney’s Office that their grant application for the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program was approved in the total amount of $372,300, covering the period of October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024. The primary focus of the program is to prosecute and investigate alcohol and drug impaired driving cases.
Board approval and acceptance of this grant funding will allow the District Attorney’s Office to continue to effectively investigate and prosecute Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases. The grant will fund 1.0 FTE Deputy District Attorney, 0.50 FTE District Attorney Investigator, and costs associated with program-related travel, training, and professional services. There is no cash match requirement under this funding opportunity.
The investigation and prosecution of DUI charges have historically absorbed a great number of resources in the District Attorney's Office due to the number of offenses within El Dorado County. In 2020, OTS ranked El Dorado County 31 out of 58 counties for alcohol involved collisions based on daily vehicle miles traveled. This includes a total of 151 victims either killed or injured during this period.
The District Attorney's Office has implemented many programs pursuant to the California OTS, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program grants, which includes community awareness programs, DUI checkpoints, and the prosecution of DUI offenses. The program assigned Deputy District Attorney will not only continue to vertically prosecute all felony DUI cases but will also attend available training events to facilitate additional training to local law enforcement agencies and less experienced prosecutors who are assigned to misdemeanor DUI cases. The assigned District Attorney Investigator will provide training in the area of “call-out” protocol for fatal collisions, consultation, courtroom testimony, participating in DUI checkpoints, and providing overall investigative support for DUI cases.
Due to the continuation of this grant program, the associated Limited-Term Deputy District Attorney position will be extended in correlation with the grant cycle, covering the period of October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024. Per Personnel Rule 1105, (specifying that limited term allocations have a fixed expiration date which can be extended upon approval by the Board of Supervisors) a resolution is included under this item extending the Limited-Term Deputy District Attorney position.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board opt not to approve the acceptance of the OTS Grant Agreement, the County would be ineligible to participate in the program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
09/20/2022 Legistar Item 22-1523 - Board approved the acceptance of the California OTS, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program Grant Agreement DI23009, to fund the prosecution of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases for the period of October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023 in the amount of $356,112.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Human Resources and County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost. This grant carries no County match requirement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon approval, Clerk of the Board to return one certified copy of the personnel resolution to Human Resources.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern R. Pierson, District Attorney