Consideration of  Cost Reimbursement Agreement:  An agreement between the City of Flagstaff and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to provide overtime reimbursement by the FBI for the formalized Northern Arizona Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force.

The increasing mobility of our society and the transient nature of a significant number of more aggressive criminal personalities require maximum inter-agency coordination to address more violent crimes, major offenders and fugitives associated with violent gangs that occur, reside or pass through Northern Arizona. It is the desire of Northern Arizona law enforcement agencies to achieve the best possible inter-agency cooperation to reduce the most violent criminal activities within Coconino County and adjacent jurisdictions. The mission of the Northern Arizona Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force is to identify and target major crimes and violent offenders within the communities served by the participants. Participation in the task force has enhanced the effectiveness of Federal, State, County and local law enforcement resources through a well-coordinated initiative seeking the most effective investigative, prosecutable avenues to arrest, convict and incarcerate dangerous offenders.

The Flagstaff Police Department desires a continuation of the City's commitment to participate locally with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in task force operations. The Flagstaff Police Department currently administers the entire METRO Narcotics Division that includes; three Flagstaff Police Officers, one Flagstaff Police Sergeant and one Coconino County Deputy who work on the task force. Two of these positions would be designated as full-time task force officers and reimbursable through this memorandum of understanding for overtime hours accrued working task force cases and task force-related duties. These officers designated as full-time task force officers are able to open federal cases, with the approval of the FBI special agent in charge, which can range from violent crime and drug interdiction cases here in the city to assisting other task force members in adjoining agencies furthering their cases. Those officers designated as full-time task force members are designated to identify themselves as those eligible for reimbursement and not necessarily assigned to work full time and solely on federal task force cases. These officers will still continue to work their normal duties in METRO and regular work performance will not be affected. 

There are no additional financial costs to the City as a result of this agreement.

Effective governance.

None.

The City of Flagstaff could choose not to participate in this reimbursement agreement and continue to pay overtime compensation earned by the officers assigned while working cases and duties associated with this task force.

The City of Flagstaff, through the Flagstaff Police Department, has participated in task force operations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the past several years. Both agencies and the public have benefited from collaborative investigations that feature the coordination of intelligence, staffing and equipment resources. 

Through the continued participation in the Northern Arizona Violent Gang Safe Street Task force, the Flagstaff Police Department will have greater access to critical intelligence regarding violent crime and gang related offenders along with the capability to deter further crimes with a cooperative and coordinated response from federal, state and local resources. Such investigations of this nature require extensive man hours and countless more hours of follow up investigation requiring overtime compensation. This compensation would be completely reimbursed by the federal government directly to the City of Flagstaff.

Current METRO officers working active task force cases work approximately no less than thirty hours of overtime per month. This is a conservative estimate and actual overtime worked depends on progression of the case and assistance needed on other task force related duties. Actual overtime is calculated under each individual officer's overtime pay rate.

The Flagstaff community benefits from more effective coordination between various law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels. This results in less redundancy and duplication of effort and resources with a cost savings to the tax payer.

The Flagstaff Police Department facilitates Neighborhood Watch programs in residential areas throughout the city. Additionally, the Police department hosts a Citizen's Police Academy where the task force and METRO division members teach entire blocks of participants a basic understanding and benefits of the division, the task force and its benefit to the community.