Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police was awarded additional funding through the FY2023 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act- A grant in the amount of $52,226.87. This is a federal grant program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Criminal Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. (OCJS) The Division of Police has been awarded the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act grant award annually since 2003 to fund forensic lab personnel training, lab equipment purchases, and overtime costs to process casework. Funds have been awarded to purchase 10 antistatic kits for precision balances and drug reference standards. The official city program contact authorized to act in connection with this $52,226.87 grant award is Crime Lab Manager, Angela Farrington. The grant start date was January 1, 2026 and ends August 31, 2026.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make these additional funds available to purchase new updated crime lab equipment and instrumentation as soon as possible since the grant award period started January 1, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an acceptance of the $52,226.87 grant award and the appropriation of those funds from OCJS to improve laboratory efficiency by replacing outdated equipment and instrumentation. This is a new award granting additional funds to the City of Columbus. 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, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, to accept a subgrantee award through the FY2023 Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act-A via the State of Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services; to authorize Angela Farrington, Crime Lab Manager, as the official city representative to act in connection with the subgrant; to authorize an appropriation of $52,226.87 from the unappro...
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