Title
Resolution to Amend the Fiscal Year 2023 Council Approved Budget to Accept and Appropriate the FY 2022 COPS Hiring Program Grant Awarded by United State Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers.
The goal of the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is to provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Anticipated outcomes of CHP awards include engagement in planned community partnerships, implementation of projects to analyze and assess problems, implementation of changes to personnel and agency management in support of community policing, and increased capacity of agency to engage in community policing activities.
FY 2022 CHP awards will cover up to 75 percent of the entry-level salary and fringe benefits for each approved position for a three-year funding period, based on the applicant’s current entry level salary levels for full-time officers. There is a minimum 25 percent local cash match (cost share) requirement. The maximum federal share per officer position is $125,000 over the three-year period Any additional costs for higher entry-level salaries and fringe benefits will be the responsibility of the recipient agency.
Funding under this program will support three years of officer salaries within a five-year period of performance to accommodate time needed for recruitment and hiring. Agencies must retain each CHP-funded position for a minimum of 12 months following the three years of funding for that position. The additional officer positions should be added to your agency’s law enforcement budget with state and/or local funds over and above the number of locally funded officer positions that would have existed in the absence of the award.
This grant award covers 5 Permanent Full Time (PFT) Patrol Officer positions.
Discussion:
This awarded grant from United State Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) covers 5 PFT Patrol Officer Positions for the Hampton Police Division. The grant affords a 2 year initial grace period to seek to return the Hampton Police Division to full authorized staffing, which once accomplished, the hiring of the five additional officers will trigger the initiation of the 3 year Operational Period of this grant.
Impact:
The City has been awarded $625,000 in federal grant funds from the United State Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The City of Hampton will incur a match of $520,805.00 over the course of the grant, based upon current officer salaries.
The grant is 5 years in duration, with only a 3 year operational period. The grant affords up to a 2 year upfront grace period to recruit and hire for the positions funded in excess of already authorized, budgeted manning. As such, any incurred matching expenses may not be experienced for up to 2 years.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve.
.
Body
WHEREAS, the United State Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded the FY 2022 COPS Hiring Program Grant in the amount of $625,000;
WHEREAS, the FY 2022 COPS Hiring Grant award requires a local cash match of $520,805;
WHEREAS, the combined funds of the FY 2022 COPS Hiring Grant award and the required local cash match totals $1,145,805, will be used by the Hampton Police Division to fund the salaries and fringe benefits of five (5) permanent full-time ("PFT") Patrol Officer positions; and
WHEREAS, the grant award is for the period of October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2027.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia hereby amends its Fiscal Year 2023 Council Approved Budget to: (1) accept and appropriate the FY2022 COPS Hiring Grant award in the amount of $625,000, from the United State Department of Justice (USDOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to the Grant Fund; and (2) approve the transfer of $520,805 from Hampton Police Operating Budget, Patrol - Salaries to the Grant Fund for the purpose of funding the salaries and fringe benefits of five (5) permanent full-time ("PFT") Police Patrol Officers in accordance with the grant agreement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes the City Manager, or her designee, to take any and all actions necessary to implement this grant award.