| ITEM #: 5. DATE: 09/28/2026 AI #:3445 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS (HSI) EL DORADO TASK FORCE PARTICIPATION |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Brian Issitt, Chief of Police |
SUMMARY
This MOU with HSI allows the Goodyear Police Department's first time participation with the El Dorado Task Force (EDTF).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
Approve the MOU with Homeland Security Investigations to allow the Goodyear Police Department to participate in the El Dorado Task Force, and provide authorization and direction to the City Manager, or designee, to take actions and execute documents necessary to carry out the intent of the agreement. (Brian Issitt, Chief of Police)
FISCAL IMPACT
The Police Department's current Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 base budget covers the Special Investigations Unit detective's position that would participate in the HSI El Dorado Task Force. HSI will provide a vehicle for the assigned Goodyear Police Department employee to use while assigned to the HSI Task Force.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS
The El Dorado Task Force (EDTF) is an HSI-led, multi-agency initiative focused on money laundering, financial crimes, and the movement of illicit proceeds, particularly those associated with transnational criminal organizations, drug-trafficking organizations, fraud, and other organized criminal activity. The original El Dorado Task Force was established in New York in 1992 and has historically brought together federal, state, and local law-enforcement personnel, financial investigators, intelligence analysts, and federal prosecutors.
HSI has expanded the El Dorado model nationally, describing the national initiative as an effort to disrupt and dismantle transnational money-laundering organizations operating in the United States through proactive investigations, financial intelligence, partnerships with the private sector, and the use of federal and state financial-crime laws.
The EDTF utilizes a collaborative investigative model, allowing participating agencies to combine personnel, intelligence, investigative resources, financial expertise, and federal, state, and local authorities. This approach is designed to identify the financial infrastructure supporting organized criminal activity, trace and seize illicit proceeds and assets, and develop complex investigations for federal prosecution.
HSI has expanded the El Dorado model nationally, describing the national initiative as an effort to disrupt and dismantle transnational money-laundering organizations operating in the United States through proactive investigations, financial intelligence, partnerships with the private sector, and the use of federal and state financial-crime laws.
The EDTF utilizes a collaborative investigative model, allowing participating agencies to combine personnel, intelligence, investigative resources, financial expertise, and federal, state, and local authorities. This approach is designed to identify the financial infrastructure supporting organized criminal activity, trace and seize illicit proceeds and assets, and develop complex investigations for federal prosecution.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The Goodyear Police Department (GYPD) continually evaluates opportunities to strengthen its ability to investigate and disrupt criminal organizations operating within or impacting the City of Goodyear. As criminal organizations become increasingly sophisticated and utilize financial institutions, electronic payment systems, cryptocurrency, businesses, and interstate and international transactions to facilitate and conceal criminal proceeds, effective law enforcement increasingly requires collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries.
The HSI EDTF provides an opportunity for GYPD to enhance its investigative capabilities through collaboration with federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners. HSI identifies the EDTF as a multi-agency initiative specifically focused on combating money laundering and financial crime. The EDTF model is designed to bring together law-enforcement resources and authorities to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle organizations involved in the movement and concealment of illicit proceeds.
Goodyear is part of a rapidly growing metropolitan region in which criminal activity routinely crosses municipal boundaries. Criminal organizations do not operate according to jurisdictional boundaries, and financial transactions associated with criminal activity may involve multiple cities, states, financial institutions, and countries. Engagement with the EDTF would strengthen GYPD's existing relationships with federal and regional law-enforcement partners and provide an additional mechanism for intelligence sharing, investigative coordination, and case deconfliction. HSI emphasizes that its task-force model is intended to combine the resources and authorities of participating agencies to more effectively investigate and disrupt transnational criminal activity.
GYPD's participation in the EDTF should be specifically distinguished from participation in immigration-enforcement programs or agreements that provide state or local officers with delegated federal immigration-enforcement authority. The El Dorado Task Force is identified by HSI as a financial-crimes initiative focused on money laundering and financial crime.
The City’s participation in the EDTF will also allow the City to participate in the Department of Justice (DOJ) Equitable Sharing Program and receive federal forfeiture funds, if available. The City’s participation in the Equitable Sharing Program requires the approval and execution of the DOJ Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification, which certifies the police department is in compliance with applicable nondiscrimination requirements. This agreement is already submitted as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency MOU that was approved in 2021.
The MOU is included as Attachment A.
The HSI EDTF provides an opportunity for GYPD to enhance its investigative capabilities through collaboration with federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners. HSI identifies the EDTF as a multi-agency initiative specifically focused on combating money laundering and financial crime. The EDTF model is designed to bring together law-enforcement resources and authorities to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle organizations involved in the movement and concealment of illicit proceeds.
Goodyear is part of a rapidly growing metropolitan region in which criminal activity routinely crosses municipal boundaries. Criminal organizations do not operate according to jurisdictional boundaries, and financial transactions associated with criminal activity may involve multiple cities, states, financial institutions, and countries. Engagement with the EDTF would strengthen GYPD's existing relationships with federal and regional law-enforcement partners and provide an additional mechanism for intelligence sharing, investigative coordination, and case deconfliction. HSI emphasizes that its task-force model is intended to combine the resources and authorities of participating agencies to more effectively investigate and disrupt transnational criminal activity.
GYPD's participation in the EDTF should be specifically distinguished from participation in immigration-enforcement programs or agreements that provide state or local officers with delegated federal immigration-enforcement authority. The El Dorado Task Force is identified by HSI as a financial-crimes initiative focused on money laundering and financial crime.
The City’s participation in the EDTF will also allow the City to participate in the Department of Justice (DOJ) Equitable Sharing Program and receive federal forfeiture funds, if available. The City’s participation in the Equitable Sharing Program requires the approval and execution of the DOJ Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification, which certifies the police department is in compliance with applicable nondiscrimination requirements. This agreement is already submitted as part of the Drug Enforcement Agency MOU that was approved in 2021.
The MOU is included as Attachment A.