Consideration of Authorizing the Approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement: Between the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County (County) for submission of a grant application and approval upon award to the U.S. Department of Justice, FY 2015 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant.

Approval of the IGA will enable the City of Flagstaff to pass through U.S. Department of Justice funding to the Coconino County Sheriff's Department for Crisis Intervention Training.

There is no significant financial impact to the Flagstaff Police Department in terms of expenditures.

 COUNCIL GOAL: 
5. Develop and implement guiding principles that address public safety service levels through appropriate staffing levels

o This grant will provide additional funding to provide discretionary overtime for our Officers to carry out Community Policing programs and CompStat initiatives.
o This grant will provide additional funding to utilize for Crisis Intervention Training.

No
 

 

o Approve the IGA between the City and County.
o Reject the IGA between the City and County.
 

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), was created in 1984 to provide federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims. The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. JAG blends the previous Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) Programs to provide agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and spend funds where they are most needed. The formula calculates direct allocations for local governments within each state, based on their share of the total violent crime reported with the state.

The JAG formula program provides agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they are needed most. The formula calculates direct allocations for local governments within each state, based on their share of the total violent crime reported with the state. The City has been certified as disparate and must submit a joint application for the aggregate of funds allocated. The JAG disparate jurisdictions are certified by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), based in part on input from the state’s Attorney General. The disparate allocation occurs when the City is scheduled to receive one and one half times more than County, while the County bears more than 50% of the costs of prosecution of incarceration that arise for Part 1 violent crimes committed in the city. City funds in the amount of $15,014 ($13,365 - direct costs/$1,631 - indirect costs) will be used to supplement overtime for community policing and property crime interdiction initiatives. As our citizens request additional patrols or when we can identify an area that would benefit from additional Police presence, these funds will be a key factor in assuring that we can provide these necessary services. As part of the joint application process an IGA is required to be submitted to the funding agency indicating who will serve as applicant/fiscal agent for the joint funds. The IGA will authorize payment to the County in the amount of $5,735 of the JAG funds.

The FY 2015 JAG funds have been allocated in the amount of $20,749, of which the City agrees to pass through to the County a total of $5,735 to be utilized for Crisis Intervention Training to use in the field by officers.

These funds will assist the Flagstaff Police Department and the County Sheriff’s Department to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims.

Inform the Council and public on the application of this grant and intended use of these funds.
 

 

1. Approve as recommended.
2. Reject IGA with the County, however this will jeopardize the full funding to City and County