HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13 Public Hearing on 2014 Justice Assistance Grant AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 7/7/2014
Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
Staff Contact/Dept.: Michael Harman/Police Staff Phone No: 726-2347
Estimated Time: 5 Minutes
S P R I N G F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L Council Goals: Provide Financially Responsible and
Innovative Government Services
ITEM TITLE: PUBLIC HEARING ON 2014 JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Hold a public hearing on the proposed uses for the 2014 Justice Assistance Grant
ISSUE STATEMENT: The Department is proposing to use the 2014 Justice Assistance Grant to support
the Volunteer program and to supplement the Department’s training budget.
ATTACHMENTS: 2014 Justice Assistance Grant Program Narrative
DISCUSSION/
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The City of Springfield is eligible to receive $18,234 from the Department of
Justice 2014 Local Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) in 2014. This is an annual, non-competitive grant award designated to support public safety goals. The Department
expects to receive these funds sometime in the Fall, and the grant period will be for
two years. Previous awards have been used to support specialized equipment purchases, training for police and court staff, and support for community policing
programs.
The Department is proposing that $3,000 of the 2014 award be used to support the
Department’s volunteer program, and that the remaining $15,234 be used to supplement the Department’s FY15 General Fund training budget, which is budgeted at $10,000.
The Department has requested this public hearing to inform the Council and the Public of the grant opportunity, and to meet an application requirement for a public
hearing.
Program Narrative
2014 Local Justice Assistance Grant Initiative
Funds received by the City of Springfield from the 2014 Local Justice Assistance
Recovery Grant will be used to provide training for Springfield Police employees, to
further the implementation of evidence-based practices in community policing and
officer safety. Local fiscal constraints have significantly limited the ability of the Police
Department to provide training beyond mandatory minimums to staff, and absent this grant funding the evidence-based practices training would not be possible.
Some of the funds received by this grant will be used to support the Police Department’s volunteer program, which provides services to the Department and the
public through fleet maintenance, graffiti abatement, crime prevention programs and
a community mediation program. Justice Assistance Grant funds will provide
uniforms, business cards, program equipment and informational materials and
required business forms for the programs to operate.
Activities and purchases supported by this grant award are above and beyond what would be possible within the Department’s General Fund budget, and these programs
would not be in place absent the award.
Attachment 1