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Item 1.J.
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| City Council Regular | |
| Date: | 06/23/2025 |
| Title: | Acceptance and Approval of the 2025 HIDTA Award in the Amount of $235,390 |
| Presented by: | Rich St. John, Police Chief |
| Department: | Police |
| Presentation: | No |
| Legal Review: | Yes |
| Project Number: | N/A |
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council approve and accept the 2025 HIDTA award from the Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy, in the amount of $235,390, and authorize the Mayor to sign the award documents.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
In 2002, Montana was designated as a High Intensity Drug Traffic Area (HIDTA). The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has awarded grants to the Eastern Montana Drug Task Force for twenty-three years and the City of Billings is the recipient and administrative agency for the grants. The ONDCP has offered a $235,390 grant for the calendar year 2025. The HIDTA Task Force consists of personnel from U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, and the Billings Police Department. The Task Force is managed by a Sergeant from the Billings Police Department. The 2025 HIDTA Award will be used to pay for a Support Specialist position for the HIDTA Task Force, all task force overtime, administrative and investigative travel, cell phones, copier maintenance agreement, investigative/office supplies, and informant costs.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Approve and accept the 2025 HIDTA Award in the amount of $235,390; or,
- Not accept the 2025 HIDTA Award in the amount of $235,390, thus costing the Public Safety Fund additional expenses for investigating and prosecuting drug related cases.
FISCAL EFFECTS
The 2025 HIDTA Award in the amount of $235,390 will require no City match. The award has been budgeted in Fund 2550 for the balance of FY 24/25 and any remaining funds will be budgeted in FY26.