Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police was awarded funding through the FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program from the National Institute of Justice. This federally supported program seeks to improve the infrastructure and analysis capacity of existing state and local crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis so they can process DNA samples efficiently and cost effectively. Funds have been awarded for the hire of a Crime Laboratory Technician, DNA equipment, analysis supplies, and training analysts in the latest technologies in this ever-evolving field. The cost breakdown for this two-year grant award is as follows: Crime Laboratory Technician $146,416.00, DNA testing equipment $62,565.00, DNA equipment technology and supplies $114,900.00, travel $13,275.00, and training $5,620.00.
The official city program contacts authorized to act in connection with this $342,776.00 grant are Crime Lab Forensic Scientist III, Emma Becker and Crime Lab Manager, Angela Farrington. The grant award start date is January 1, 2020 and ends December 31, 2021.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make the funds available as soon as possible for the grant award, effective as of January 1, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an acceptance of the $342,776.00 grant award and the appropriation of those funds from the National Institute of Justice to improve DNA analysis. The City of Columbus received an award of $210,159.00 in 2015, $271,726.00 in 2016 and $265,127.00 in 2017 and $265,033.00 in 2018. No matching funds are required and all grant expenditures will be reimbursed by the grant awarded funding.
Title
To authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program award from the National Institute of Justice; to authorize a Crime Lab Forensic Scientist III and Crime Lab Manager as the official city representatives to act in connection with this grant; to authorize an appropriation of $342,776.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the cost of the FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant activities and expenditures; and to declare an emergency. ($342,776.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Police has been awarded funding through a FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant from the National Institute of Justice for DNA supplies and training for Crime Lab DNA analysts; and,
WHEREAS, the Columbus Police Crime Lab needs personnel, equipment, supplies and training to aid in processing DNA samples more efficiently and cost effectively; and,
WHEREAS, Crime Lab Forensic Scientist III, Emma Becker, and Crime Lab Manager Angela Farrington have been identified as the official city representatives to act in connection with this FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant and to provide information as required; and,
WHEREAS, the grant award period begins on January 1, 2020 and ends December 31, 2021; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Mayor to accept and appropriate the FY2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant award in order to make funds available for the grant award period, thereby preserving the public peace, health, property, 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 is hereby authorized and directed to accept a FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant for DNA personnel, equipment, supplies and training for the Columbus Police Crime Lab.
SECTION 2. That Crime Lab Forensic Scientist III, Emma Becker and Crime Lab Manager Angela Farrington are designated as the official city program contacts, authorized to act in connection with the FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program Grant, and are to provide any additional information required.
SECTION 3. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grant Fund and from all 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 $342,776.00 is appropriated upon receipt of an executed grant agreement in Fund 2220 General Government Grants in Object Class 01 Personnel, 02 Materials and Supplies, 03 Contractual Services and 06 Equipment, per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated in an amount not to exceed the available cash balance in the fund.
SECTION 5. That the monies appropriated in 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 6. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 7. That for the 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 ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.