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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 22 Public Hearing on 2016 Justice Assistant Grant AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 7/18/2016 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 2016 JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT ACTION REQUESTED: Hold a public hearing on the proposed uses for the 2016 Justice Assistance Grant ISSUE STATEMENT: As part of the application process for the annual Justice Assistance Grant, the City and the Department is required to hold a public hearing to allow public comment. The Department is proposing to use the 2016 Justice Assistance Grant to purchase instant recall/replay functionality for Dispatch radio consoles, and to pay for additional training for a detective assigned to the Computer Forensics program. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: 2016 Justice Assistance Grant Program Narrative DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City of Springfield is eligible to receive $18,251 from the Department of Justice 2016 Local Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). This is an annual, non-competitive grant intended 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 this year’s grant award be used to purchase “instant recall/instant replay” functionality for the three main radio console positions in the Dispatch center, at a cost of $11,430. The remaining funds, $6,821, would be used to pay for additional training and equipment for the detective assigned to the computer forensics program. Specifically, the grant will allow this detective to attend training specific to Apple computers and iPhone computer systems. The Department has requested this public hearing to inform the Council and the public of the grant opportunity, and to meet a grant requirement that a public hearing be held for comment on the proposed uses of the grant award. Attachment 1 Program Narrative 2016 Local Justice Assistance Grant Initiative Funds received by the City of Springfield from the 2016 Local Justice Assistance Recovery Grant will be used to upgrade existing Dispatch Center consoles to include “instant replay” functionality, and to provide training for a recently assigned Computer Forensics Analyst to training on recovering data from McIntosh computer systems. Local fiscal constraints have significantly limited the ability of the Police Department to upgrade communications systems or provide training beyond mandatory minimums to staff. Absent this grant funding the interoperable equipment upgrade or providing the evidence-based best-practices training would not be possible. The Department will send one police officer, assigned as the computer forensics analyst, to training on recovering data from McIntosh computer systems and iphones. The Department will also upgrade three recently purchased Motorola MCC7500 radio consoles in the Dispatch Center to include instant recall/instant playback capabilities. The Department will report on the new expertise and new capabilities gained by the Department as a result of grant funded training opportunities and communications equipment upgrades. 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.