Title
District Attorney recommending the Board:
1) Approve the use of Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Funds to support applicable Law Enforcement related costs in the total amount of $41,800;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer increasing revenue and appropriations within the District Attorney's FY 2019-20 budget by $41,800 (4/5 vote required); and
3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 020-2020 finding that supporting the 2020 "Drug Store Project" provides a valuable public benefit by educating youth about the consequences of substance abuse and authorizing a contribution in the amount of $2,000 to Tahoe Youth & Family Services to support the project.
FUNDING: Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Asset Forfeiture/ Equitable Sharing
The District Attorney, through an agreement with the Federal Department of Justice (DOJ), receives monies for assets seized by partner agencies. The funds are deposited into a trust fund in the County Treasury until such time the District Attorney requests use of the funds per the guidelines established in Equitable Sharing agreement with the DOJ. The District Attorney currently has specialized costs that can be covered with Equitable Sharing funds (EQSHR) and is requesting to use the funds for the following expenses:
$23,500 - Specialized law enforcement training provided by Tailored Training Programs, LLC at the fixed rate of $23,300 plus $200 in printing services for training course material. The training is a science-based interviewing and interrogation course instructed with similar curricula used in courses delivered for NYPD and LAPD agencies. The course objective is to enhance law enforcement professionals’ interviewing techniques and strategies.
$2,000 - Tahoe Youth and Family Services is sponsoring "The Drug Store Project", a day-long prevention activity on March 31, 2020, that will provide 325 students in the Tahoe basin with a reality-based storyline provided by 45 local and state agencies about the dangers of drug experimentation, use and abuse. Both pre and post survey information are electronically collected from all participants. In addition a post event survey will be provided to all parents through the school's email access so the Program Coordinator may collect further information for their input. Funds will help to cover costs of putting on the event which total approximately $41,405, including in kind donations.
$4,000 - (2) Deputy District Attorneys to attend the Felony Sentencing Seminar hosted by CDAA held in Monterey, CA, March 24-27, 2020. This training workshop will offer lectures and illustration that specifically teach upon important aspects of California’s complex sentencing structure. The seminar also accounts for 23 hours of general Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits.
$600 - Office furniture, as the District Attorney’s primary office is in need of (2) bookshelves for investigative staff use.
$400 - Laser color printer, as the District Attorney’s primary office is in need of an additional printer for new staff, of which material directly related to investigations will be printed, among other material.
$4,800 - Thomas Reuters CLEAR annual subscription to an advanced online database that provides information related to law enforcement investigations. Data is updated every 15 minutes, which will provide the District Attorney’s office with the latest records information.
$1,500 - Evidence.com annual subscription for online digital data storage. This online storage tool will allow law enforcement to store large digital evidence such as in-car videos and body-worn camera footage. Evidence.com is known to be a nationwide standard storage tool used by the Law Enforcement community at large.
$5,000 - CDAA Diversity 2020 initiative - The California District Attorneys Association has recently launched a statewide campaign that focuses on bringing diversity to prosecutors’ offices. The agency has provided new resources for its members of which the District Attorney’s office will be utilizing.
ALTERNATIVES
General Fund appropriations for purchases.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar Item 19-1462 (October 22, 2019): Approve the use of Asset Forfeiture funds for the following: purchase of Point Blank vests and fire arms safety loading chambers in the estimated amount of $12,567, and new uniform gear in the estimated amount of $7,196, 772 Pacific St. facility lease, in the amount of $31,860 for the period of July 2019 - June 2020; computer equipment in the estimated amount of $9,495; office equipment and supplies: in the estimated amount of $11,106; 778 Pacific St. building sound masking costs in the quoted amount of $27,000; and CDAA Diversity 2018 initiative cost at $5,000.
Legistar Item 19-0247 (March 5, 2019): Authorize the Chair to sign a budget transfer increasing revenue and appropriation through the use of Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture funds by $2,000 to partially fund costs associated with “The Drug Store Project", a training that will be offered to 325 sixth grade students in the Tahoe basin about the dangers of drug experimentation, use and abuse, and find that the project provides a valuable public benefit.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost as Asset Forfeiture funds are being requested. The funding for the requested expenses will increase the overall revenue and expense appropriations of the District Attorney's budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to:
1) Forward the executed budget transfer to the Auditor/Controller for processing; and
2) Return one certified copy of the executed resolution to the Chief Administrative Office, Central Fiscal Unit, Attn: Justene Cline.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern Pierson