Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police has been awarded funding through the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grants Program (competitive) for federal fiscal year 2009. The Coverdell program awards grants to states and units of local government to help improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science and medical examiner services.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) via the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) administers the program. It has awarded $125,000.00 for the project titled, FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant Program. This project will computerize the Columbus Police Crime Laboratory's information management processes and improve the quality and timeliness of its forensic services. The awarded funds are for the purchase and installation of an automated forensic laboratory information management system and the purchase of barcode readers and printers. The system will provide a computerized chain of custody tracking system for evidence and a means of central data collection not currently available. The computerization will reduce employee documentation and report time for casework analysis.
The official city program contact authorized to act in connection with this grant award is Columbus Division of Police Crime Lab Manager, Jami St. Clair. This grant award will help the Crime Lab process evidence more quickly and effectively, thereby, reducing turnaround time.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is needed to complete the acceptance and make the awarded funds available to begin the purchasing process as soon as possible. The grant award period start date is October 1, 2009.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the acceptance of a grant award of $125,000.00 from the National Institute of Justice for the purchase of an automated laboratory information system. There is no fiscal impact on the General Fund budget. No matching funds are required and all grant expenditures will be reimbursed.
Title
To authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant Program award from the National Institute of Justice; to authorize the Crime Lab Manager as the official city representative to act in connection with this grant; to authorize the appropriation of $125,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the cost of the FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant activities; and to declare an emergency. ($125,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Police was awarded funding through a FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant for the acquisition of an automated laboratory information system for the Division of Police Crime Laboratory; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Police Crime Lab seeks to improve its information management process to improve the quality and timeliness of its forensic services; and
WHEREAS, Crime Lab Manager, Jami St. Clair, has been identified as the official city representative to act in connection with this FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Program Grant and to provide information as required; and
WHEREAS, the grant award period began October 1, 2009 and grant activities and expenditures can begin upon completion of the city legislation to accept and appropriate the award; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant Program award, to authorize Crime Lab Manager Jami St. Clair as the official city representative for the grant and to authorize an appropriation for the grant, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Mayor of the City of Columbus be and is hereby authorized and directed to accept a FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant for an automated forensic laboratory information management system for the Columbus Police Crime Lab.
SECTION 2. That Crime Lab Manager, Jami St. Clair, is designated as the official city program contact and authorized to act in connection with the FY2009 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act Grant and to provide any additional information required.
SECTION 3. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund and from all the monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purposes during the grant period the sum of $125,000.00 is appropriated as follows:
DIV |
|
FUND |
|
OBJ LVL 1 |
|
OBJ LVL 3 |
|
OCA |
|
GRANT |
|
AWARDED |
30-03 |
|
220 |
|
02 |
|
2193 |
|
339132 |
|
339132 |
|
10,000.00 |
30-03 |
|
220 |
|
02 |
|
2224 |
|
339132 |
|
339132 |
|
115,000.00 |
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated on the foregoing Section 3 shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Safety; and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or tend days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.