Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City of Columbus has been awarded a Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs via the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. The JAG program provides funding to allow states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. The FY23 JAG award will provide funds based off of the two proposals submitted for this grant. The Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) for the Columbus Division of Police (CPD) will use the funds to acquire furniture, a computer, new updated measurement equipment, and a station with a data collector package that specifically focuses on traffic crash investigation and documenting crime scenes. The FY23 JAG award will also provide funds for the Special Services Bureau, SWAT, to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes replacement of ballistic shields/bunkers. Finally, there are approved grant funds for the purchase of precision tripods to update the current equipment being utilized to address threats and deploy resources during large community events. The City will act as subgrantee to the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs. Therefore, the Mayor is required to sign a subgrantee award on behalf of the City.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to make funds available to purchase new equipment and immediately provide personal protective equipment for SWAT officers.
FISCAL IMPACT: All appropriated funds will be reimbursed by the grant award.
Title
To authorize the Mayor of the City of Columbus to accept a subgrantee award through the FY23 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance via the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs; to authorize an appropriation of $180,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund to the Division of Police to cover the costs associated with the FY23 Justice Assistance Grant; and to declare an emergency. ($180,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Division of Police, was awarded funding through the FY23 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to fund equipment for traffic crash investigation and documenting crime scenes; and,
WHEREAS, Sergeant Eric Moore has been identified as the official representative to act in connection with this FY23 Justice Assistance Subgrant and to provide information as required; and,
WHEREAS, the grant award period began on January 1, 2024 and ends on December 31, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, in that it is immediately necessary to accept and appropriate the FY23 Justice Assistance Grant award in order to make funds available for the grant award period, for the immediate preservation of 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 be and is hereby authorized to accept a FY23 Justice Assistance Grant.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the Project Period, the sum of $180,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 2220 General Government Grants Fund in Object Classes 02, 03, and 06 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the monies in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Mayor; 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 4. 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 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated.
SECTION 6. 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.