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District Attorney recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the District Attorney to accept and execute Grant Agreement DI22002 in the amount of $345,654 with the California Office of Traffic Safety, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program, for the prosecution and investigation of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases for the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022; and
2) Delegate authority to the District Attorney to execute any agreement amendments or extensions which do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon County Counsel review.
FUNDING: California Office of Traffic Safety Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program Grant Funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney recommends the Board approve and authorize the District Attorney to execute Grant Agreement DI22002 in the amount of $345,654 with the California Office of Traffic Safety, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program, for the prosecution and investigation of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases.
Approval of this recommendation will allow the District Attorney's Office to efficiently and 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 to program-related travel and training. There is no cash match requirement associated with this grant funding.
The investigation and prosecution of DUI charges have historically absorbed a great amount of resources in the District Attorney's Office due to the number of offenses within El Dorado County. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) ranked El Dorado County 22 out of 58 counties for alcohol involved collisions in 2018 based on daily vehicle miles traveled.
The District Attorney's Office has implemented many programs pursuant to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 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 vertically prosecute all felony DUI cases, but will also attend available training events in order 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 be dedicated to providing 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.
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
Legistar 20-1131, September 22, 2020 - Board approved the acceptance of the California Office of Traffic Safety, Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program Grant Agreement DI21023, to fund the prosecution of alcohol and drug impaired driving cases for the period of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021 in the amount of $233,072.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost. The increase to the program revenue and appropriation budget has been requested through the Adopted Budget process for FY 2021-22. This grant carries no County match requirement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern Pierson, District Attorney