Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police has been awarded a FY2014 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act grant of $21,713.39. This is a federal grant program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. The Division of Police has been awarded a Forensic Science Improvement Act grant funds annually since 2003 to fund forensic lab personnel training, lab equipment purchases and overtime costs to process casework. The City must be a subgrantee to the State of Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to participate in this program according to the federal grant guidelines. Therefore, the Mayor is required to sign a subgrantee award to accept this grant on behalf of the City. The official City contact authorized to act in connection with this grant is Crime Lab Manager, Jami St. Clair. The grant program provides funds to improve forensic crime lab activities. This FY2014 award will fund training and travel costs for forensic lab personnel to attend new and/or updated forensic training.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is needed to make the grant funds available as quickly as possible for upcoming training registration deadlines. The grant award period started October 1, 2014.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of a grant in the amount of $21,713.39 from the Federal government for training for the City's Crime Lab personnel. The City was awarded Forensic Science Improvement Act grant funds of $45,628.07 in 2012, $14,470.25 in 2013 and $14,605.25 in 2014. All funds appropriated are reimbursable from the grant award.
Title
To authorize and direct the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a subgrantee award through the FY2014 Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act via the State of Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services; to authorize Jami St. Clair, Crime Lab Manager, as the official city representative to act ...
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