BACKGROUND: The Division of Police has been awarded a FY2021 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Act grant in the amount of $53,746.23. 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 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, Angela Farrington. The grant program provides funds to improve forensic crime lab activities. This FY2021 award will fund equipment, supplies, and training and travel costs for forensic lab personnel to attend new and/or updated forensic training.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make the funds available as soon as possible for the grant award, effective as of January 1, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of a grant in the amount of $53,746.23 from the Federal government to fund equipment, supplies, and training and travel costs for the City's Crime Lab personnel. The City was awarded Forensic Science Improvement Act grant funds in the amount of $60,271.73 in 2018, $58,050.77 in 2019 and $43,584.82 in 2020. All funds appropriated are reimbursable from the grant award.
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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 FY2021 Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act via the State of Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Se...
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