Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation is needed to appropriate funding for the joint Ohio State University ("OSU") - Columbus Division of Police ("CPD") Crime Interdiction Security Initiative. A long-standing, mutual-aid collaboration has been in place between both agencies, and in 2012, OSU and CPD entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") establishing guidelines for mutual assistance and use of resources to address criminal activity and emergencies that occur across jurisdictional lines. One of the provisions of the new MOU is that OSU will reimburse the City of Columbus for all overtime and benefit costs for sworn CPD officer overtime worked for the Initiative activities. The maximum amount of OSU reimbursement to the City for these costs is $150,000.00 per academic year. The 2013-14 academic year grant-reimbursable expenditures were $124,667.81.
The Interdiction Project activities and timing are determined via collaborative planning by OSU and CPD personnel. Examples of additional law enforcement activity periods would include student move-in/out times, the start of academic classes and high profile campus events. The 2014 OSU academic year and the Initiative will begin in August, 2014.
Authorization is needed to expend City General Funds for the start up of the Initiative until the appropriation is established. Expenditure corrections will be processed to reverse any General Fund expenditures and charge them to the Initiative once the city accounting system has set up the appropriation.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is necessary to expedite the appropriation of the funding for the OSU Crime Interdiction Security Initiative, which is scheduled to begin in August, 2014.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $150,000.00 for CPD sworn overtime expenditures and benefits for the OSU Crime Interdiction Security Initiative. All funds appropriated are reimbursable from OSU through an OSU-CPD MOU. ...
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