Title
Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Sheriff to sign the Domestic Cannabis Eradication and Suppression Program grant funding amendment to Letter of Agreement 2020-12, with the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration increasing the total amount of funding by $80,000 for a total of $146,500 for the period October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020 to defray costs relating to the eradication and suppression of illicit marijuana.
FUNDING: United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
This 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 DOJ in locating and eradicating illicit cannabis plants, and investigating, arresting and referring cases to the prosecuting authorities. This funding cannot be used for the enforcement, monitoring or administration of any legal cannabis program in El Dorado County.
As in the past years, the DOJ 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.
In the past, grant funds have been advanced and monthly reports of expenditures were required to account for the funds. Starting with the grant from Federal FY2019, funds are not advanced and monthly invoices for expenses are submitted for reimbursement to capture actual costs. The Sheriff's Office received the original agreement on December 19, 2019 from the DEA.
Following numerous meetings with the DOJ it was determined that the Sheriff's Office could utilize additional funding for illegal eradication. On July 9, 2020 an amendment letter was sent to the Sheriff's Office allowing for an inc...
Click here for full text