Title
Resolution Approving the City of Hampton, Virginia's Participation In and Appropriation of the Byrne/JAG Law Enforcement/First Responders Cooperative Response Projects Grant
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The Department of Criminal Justice Services has awarded the City of Hampton Police Division grant funding in the amount of $71,543.00 in federal funds with no match requirement in support of the Police Division's Mobile Response to Extremism, Civil Unrest, and Terrorism Project. The grant funds are to implement in a two-pronged approach to combatting violent extremism, domestic terrorism, and hate crimes within the Commonwealth of Virginia. A portion of the funding will be used to host the first unified training event of its kind in the region: a four-day Mobile Response Team Training to focus on addressing deficiencies when responding to civil disturbance, unrest, or riot events with a possible terrorism nexus. Additional funds are to procure equipment critical to the response of these types of events and in support of the Police Division's Mobile Response Team (MRT).
Discussion:
Across the nation, terrorism, violent extremism, and hate crimes have been on the rise as critical incidents law enforcement and first responders are tasked with locally. In support of this developing trend, the Hampton Police Division restructured the Mobile Response Team (MRT) to focus in areas of civil disturbance/unrest to act as the first level response to these situations. National incidents such as those experienced in Ferguson, Baltimore, and Charlottesville lend themselves as examples of opportunities for training development in these areas. Many local agencies have minimal real-life experience in these large scale events and in coordinating various resources to the magnitude required to successfully mitigate these threats. The goal of this project is to enhance the Hampton Police Division’s ability to respond to civil disturbance, unrest, and/or riot events with a possible terrorism nexus while focusing on best practices as developed by the Center of Domestic Preparedness. It will also provide necessary funding to outfit the Mobile Response Team with additional equipment crucial to the ability to respond to these events within the city or as part of mutual aid across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Hampton Police Division’s Mobile Response Team (MRT) will seek to close strategic gaps in these areas by coordinating a four-day, real life scenario-based, multi-jurisdiction training focusing on scaled response abilities with strategic emphasis on multi-agency integration. This training will build on collaboration with other law enforcement and first responder partners within the Commonwealth and ensure universal knowledge of best practices within civil disturbance, unrest, and/or riot situations. Grant funding will cover the cost of meals and lodging for participants and this training would be the first of its kind to combine regional localities and Virginia State Police in a single, unified training event.
The second prong of the project will aid to elevate the Hampton Police Division’s equipment to respond to these same types of events. Grant funding will provide Personal Protection Equipment for sworn officers designed to protect officers against injuries and debris while maximizing protection in critical areas like the shoulders, shins, and forearms. It will also provide additional police patrol bicycles to integrate into the MRT Unit to enhance the unit’s mobility along with rescue equipment to defeat devices that have been used by protesters that pose public safety concerns.
The total funding for this grant project is $71,543.00 in federal funding with no required local match.
Impact:
The Byrne/JAG Law Enforcement/First Responders Cooperative Response Project Grant will provide considerable safety measures to the citizens of Hampton in the event a large scale event unfolds related to extremism, civil unrest, and/or terrorism. It will also serve to position the City of Hampton's Police Division as one of the first agencies to host a unified training opportunity for law enforcement and first responders in the Commonwealth of Virginia based on best practices by the Center of Domestic Preparedness with collaboration from the Division's Joint Terrorism Task Force Officer. The entirety of the project will be federally funded with no fiscal impact to the City.
Recommendation:
Rec
It is the recommendation of the Hampton Police Division that the City Council of the City of Hampton accepts and appropriates the Byrne/JAG Program Law Enforcement/First Responders Cooperative Response Projects Grant for the implementation of this grant award.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Hampton Police Division has been awarded the Byrne/JAG Program Law Enforcement/First Responders Cooperative Response Project Grant in the amount of $71,543.00 in Federal funds with no local match; and
WHEREAS, the grant award covers the period of 01/01/2018 to 09/30/2018;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton accepts and appropriates the Byrne/JAG Program Law Enforcement/First Responders Cooperative Response Projects Grant as awarded by the Department of Criminal Justice Services in accordance with the grant agreement;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes the City Manager or her designee to take the necessary steps to implement this grant award.