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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 09272005 - SD3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS co5�� FRonn: JOHN SWEETEN Contra County Administrator Costa DATE: September 27, 2005 County SUBJECT: SHERIFF'S PROPOSED USE OF AB 3229 FRONT LINE LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDS (Chapter 134, Statutes of 1996) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDATION ACTION: 1. HOLD a scheduled public hearing as required by AB 3229 on Sheriffs request for Government Code Section 30061(b)(3) Front Line Law Enforcement funds; and 2. APPROVE the Sheriffs request to continue funding the Air Support Unit with Government code 30061(b)(3) funds. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: NONE. The recommended Board Action has already been approved as part of the FY 2005/06 budget and will have no additional impact on the County General Fund. The funds from the State of California under AB 3229 are restricted funds that may only be used as prescribed by Government Code Section 30061(b)(3), requested by the Sheriff and approved by the Board. III. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDED ACTION(S): The State's fiscal year 2005/06 budget continues the program authorized by the Local Law Enforcement Supplemental Funding Act (AB 3229) by appropriating restricted funds for three separate programs: 1) approximately$286,000 to the Sheriff's Office for jail construction and operations; 2) approximately $286,000 to the District Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution; and 3) approximately$2,412,000 allocated to County unincorporated law enforcement and city police departments on the basis of population (of this amount, approximately$231,000 is available for front line enforcement services in the County's unincorporated areas). The three County programs referred above have been included in the adopted final County budget for FY 2005/06 in Budget Units 0262, 0241 and 0263, respectively. Regarding the Sheriff's use of$231,000 in front line law enforcement funds, Government Code Section 30061(c)(1), requires that the Board of Supervisors hold a public hearing on the Sheriffs requested use of these funds in each year in which the State provides such funds. Fiscal year 1996/97 was the first year of this program and your Board approved the Sheriff's request to use the funds to initiate a law enforcement Air Support Unit. As indicated in the attached, the Sheriff requests that funds available for the current fiscal year be used for the Air Support Unit. IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Failure to approve the Sheriffs requested use of these funds would be detrimental to the Air Support Unit. Furthermore, failure to use these funds could result in forfeiting the funds to the State. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: ECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD OMM EE Co�PRO OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOAR O h9^I'.�-� APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED �_ OTHER A o dE'-n►t�c�tM �fiL�-1�� VOTE OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIM US ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: r 000ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact Person:Lisa Driscoll,335-1023 ATTESTED Koo, CC: CAO,Justice System Programs JO NSW TEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Sheriff SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR County Auditor-Controller Supplemental Law Enforcement Oversight Committee �. � B ,DEPUTY ` OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF Contra Costa County Executive Office 335-1500cam b, 'i Date: September 27, 2005 � To: Board of Supervisors Via: John Sweeten, County Administrator From: Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff �f��LC By: Obie D. Anderson, Undersheri � Subject: Report on Use of Front-line Law Enforcement Funds Funding provided by Assembly Bill 3229 for front-line law enforcement services, commonly referred to as Supplement Law Enforcement Services Funds (SLESF), is used by the Sheriff s Office to support the Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit. The Air Support Unit began in 1996 with the support of the Board of Supervisors by using these funds and has continued with these funds and through partnerships with other law enforcement agencies. The Air Support Unit, which has two helicopters, is an integral tool for providing law enforcement services in Contra Costa County. During fiscal year 2004/05, the Air Support Unit logged the following activity: Marine Patrol hours over the Delta Waterways 141 Calls for service 601 Assistance to agencies outside Contra Costa County 162 Arrests resulting from Air Support services 16 Arrest assists 44 Pursuit assists 9 Missing person details 6 Captures using the `forward-looking infrared' equipment 6 Attached to these statistics is a host of real-life situations wherein the Air Support Unit provided public safety services to law enforcement officers and the communities we serve. These situations include spotting vessels in distress and coordinating rescue efforts; tracking fleeing murder or robbery suspects; locating missing children or elderly persons; providing overhead cover in hostage situations; and the list goes on and on. The amount of Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funds used for our Air Support Unit during fiscal year 2004/05 was $200,000. In addition, $30,000 from fund balance was used for the Rodeo Resident Deputy from February through May 2005. The fiscal year 2005/06 SLESF allocation for front line law enforcement will be approximately $231,000. It is the Sheriffs Office intention to use the full fiscal year 2005/06 allocation for the Air Support Unit. cc: Commander Scott Daly Captain Dale Morrison ADDENDUM TO ITEM SD.3 September 27, 2005 On this day,the Board of Supervisors held a scheduled public hearing on the Sheriff's request for Government Code Section 30061(b)(3)Front Line Law Enforcement Funds,and considered approving the Sheriff's request to continue funding the Air Support Unit with Government Code 30061(b)(3)funds. Commander Scott Daly of the Sheriff's Department presented this item to the Board,noting that the helicopter program has proven itself to be a valuable asset in law enforcement. Chair Uilkema asked about the possibility of using half of the money in the manner proposed today,and using the other half for hiring a deputy to work in the unincorporated areas. She asked if this would still allow enough for the purchase of one helicopter. Commander Daly responded, saying there were a lot of variables to consider,but that obviously any money taken away would affect the status of the program. He added that an airborne asset is comparable to having fifteen deputies on the ground. Supervisor DeSaulnier asked if that statistic was applicable to an area like ours,where helicopters have to cover a larger area,or whether it was more representative of an area like Los Angeles that has fourteen active helicopters. Commander Daly responded that he thought the statistic equating one helicopter with fifteen ground deputies came from a synthesis of data from both kinds of programs. Chair Uilkema suggested that two important goals could potentially be accomplished by funding one helicopter and one deputy. Supervisor Piepho said she would support this item as presented,but would like to note that the unincorporated communities need deputies in the field and she would like to see some planning in place to meet that need. The Chair invited the public to speak.There was no public testimony provided on this item. Supervisor Gioia moved approval, seconded by Supervisor Glover, and by a 4-1 vote with Chair Uilkema voting no, the Board of Supervisors took the following action: APPROVED the Sheriffs request to continue funding the Air Support Unit with Government Code 30061(b)(3)funds.