Title
Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Sheriff to sign the retroactive Domestic Cannabis Eradication and Suppression Program (DCESP) grant funding Letter of Agreement 2024-12, with the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration in the amount of $30,000 for the period October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, to defray costs relating to the eradication and suppression of illicit marijuana only.
FUNDING: DCESP Funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The DCESP grant is an annual agreement that the Sheriff’s Office has participated in since 1997. The funding is for activities related to the cooperation with the DEA in locating and eradicating illicit cannabis plants, and investigating, arresting, and referring cases to the prosecuting authorities.
As in the past years, the DEA is requiring that none of this funding be used to offset costs associated with law enforcement oversight of legal marijuana activities. The Sheriff’s Office is complying with this requirement and has put procedures in place to separate the illicit marijuana suppression activities of staff from the legal marijuana monitoring activities.
The DCESP annually funds overtime, clothing/protective gear, container/space rental, equipment, miscellaneous commercial contracts, supplies/materials, training, travel/per diem, and vehicle rentals. This Letter of Agreement was received by the Sheriff’s Office on April 25, 2024, and covers the reimbursement period from the beginning of the Federal fiscal year on October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to not approve this item, however, the Sheriff’s Office would not receive DCESP funding to cooperate with the DEA on the eradication and suppression of illicit marijuana.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
02/07/2023 Legistar item 23-0191
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Letter of Agreement and the Sheriff’s Office willingness to comply with the restriction of use of funds for suppression of illicit marijuana operations only.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The revenue offsets the Sheriff’s Office’s costs for the illicit marijuana eradication program and will reduce the Sheriff’s Net County Cost by up to $30,000.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Undersheriff Bryan Golmitz