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Home My WebLink About03-06-2006 ITEM II-A-1CITY OF1 WASHINGTON AGENDA BILL APPROVAL FORM Agenda Subject: Date: 2006 Justice Assistance Grant Public Hearing February 17, 2006 Department: Attachments: Budget Impact: Police Administrative Recommendation: City Council to conduct a public hearing on March 6, 2006 to receive public comment on a Department of Justice Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. Background Summary: The Auburn Police Department is applying for the 2006 US Department of Justice Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (Justice Assistance Grant). Per the grant requirement, the City is required to conduct a public hearing regarding the application in order to provide community members an opportunity to comment. A public hearing has been scheduled for the March 6, 2006 City Council meeting to receive public comment on the Justice Assistance Grant. P0306-1 F5.4.1 Reviewed by Council & Committees: Reviewed by Departments & Divisions: ❑ Arts Commission COUNCIL COMMITTEES: ❑ Building ❑ M&O ❑ Airport ❑ Finance ❑ Cemetery ❑ Mayor ❑ Hearing Examiner ® Municipal Serv. ❑ Finance ❑ Parks ❑ Human Services ❑ Planning & CD ❑ Fire ❑ Planning ❑ Park Board ❑Public Works ❑ Legal ® Police ❑ Planning Comm. ❑ Other ❑ Public Works ❑ Human Resources Action: Committee Approval: ❑Yes []No Council Approval: ❑Yes []No Call for Public Hearing _!—/— Referred to Until —/—/ Tabled Until —/—/ Councilmember: Cerino Staff: Kell Meeting Date: March 6, 2006 Item Number: II.A.1 AUBURN * MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED Agenda Subject: Date: Justice Assistance Grant Public Hearing February 17 2006 *The following was submitted to the City of Auburn Municipal Services Committee on February 21, 2006 for their 30 -day review period. City of Auburn Police Department Justice Assistance Grant Application Program Narrative 2/21/06 Program Period: 5130/06 to 5/30/10 Disparate Jurisdiction: N/A The Auburn Police Department is making application to the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance under the 2006 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). The City of Auburn has been allocated $26,308 for the purposes of supporting law enforcement programs. Since 1996 the City of Auburn has received the US DOJ Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG). The City of Auburn has utilized the funds received under the LLEBG to support community -policing efforts. The concept of community policing enables officers to work in specific neighborhoods for a protracted period of time, become knowledgeable about specific neighborhoods and develop special relationships with residents and business owners. Developing a rapport with the community members allows officers to problem solve with residents as well as build trust and comrnunication while enhancing the officer's ability to recognize those conditions requiring a law enforcement response. Much of this work is conducted in addition to the regular duties of police officers, which are often times spent responding to 911 calls for service. Over the last several years the LLEBG has funded overtime costs so that officers can participate in such community policing efforts as: ➢ Teen Late -Night Program ➢ Crime Prevention Block -Watch Meetings ➢ DUI Enforcement Patrols ➢ Racer Emphasis Patrols ➢ Latino Community Outreach Program ➢ Citizen's Police Academy Recently the LLEBG was combined with the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant to form the JAG. The City of Auburn intends to continue funding our community policing efforts upon the receipt of the 2006 JAG award. The City of Auburn does not receive any other on-going federal or state funding to support these community -policing efforts. The anticipated JAG funds will not be used to Page 2 of 4 Agenda Subject: Date: Justice Assistance Grant Public Hearing February 17, 2006 supplant existing funds, but rather, will be used to supplement funds from the general overtime account. The following is a brief outline of each program that will be funded under the 2006 JAG award: 1. Auburn Parks and Recreation Teen Late -Night Program: The Auburn Late Night Program features opportunities in recreation, arts and crafts, leadership and skill building. The program is designed for middle school and high school aged youth living in or attending school within the Auburn School District boundaries. The program has been in existence for over ten years, and it has involved Auburn Police participation since its' inception. The Auburn Police Department provides a commissioned police officer to provide security for the event, as well as to interact with the youth and answer specific law enforcement related questions. The need for this program to continue is vital, as the positive impact it has on the youth of Auburn is significant. 2. Crime Prevention Block Watch Meetings: The Auburn Police Department has an active Block Watch program, with over forty organized groups in the city. The Auburn PD takes a unique approach to Block Watch, in that a representative from the Patrol Unit accompanies the Community Programs/Crime Prevention officer to nearly every Block Watch meeting. Having a member of the Patrol Unit on -hand to answer specific questions posed by residents is paramount, as these officers have the most up to date and relevant information possible. 3. DUI Enforcement Patrols: In surveys conducted amongst our residents, the issue of speeding and negligently driven vehicles is of great concern. Auburn is also home to the Muckleshoot Tribal Casino, which is a source of a significant number of DUI drivers arrested in greater King County. DUI Enforcement Patrols, funded by the Community Policing Overtime Grant allow officers to spend a protracted amount of time in and around the casino area. These patrols have lead to an increase in DUI arrests, which results in a significantly positive impact on our community member's ability to travel safely through our city. In addition to the JAG, the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission will occasionally offer one-time funding for special DUI emphasis patrols. The City of Auburn has taken advantage of these funding opportunities in the past, and we will continue to enhance our JAG funding whenever possible. 4. Racer Emphasis Patrols: Auburn is home to several industrial and business areas that have an abundance of paved straight-aways that the racer community has been using to conduct illegal street races. Many of the businesses that operate in these areas are open 24 hours per day, with employees coming and going all through the day and night. These conditions, in addition to the inherent danger involved in street racing cause concern for the safety of our community members. The police department has been working with business owners to Page 3 of 4 Agenda Subject: Date: Justice Assistance Grant Public Hearing February 17, 2006 rectify this on-going problem. The JAG award will provide a continued funding source to support the on-going Racer Emphasis Patrols. 5. Latino -Community Outreach Program: For the last twenty months, -the Auburn Police Department in conjunction with the City of Auburn Planning Department has been involved in the Latino Community Outreach Program, which is centered at a local apartment complex. Auburn Police DARE Officer Rafael Sermeno has been instrumental in developing and building this program, which is designed to assist Latino (and primarily non English-speaking) community members with problems that they may encounter on a daily basis. LLEBG funds have; been utilized in the past to pay Officer Sermeno's salary when he attends functions occurring during his off-duty hours. 6. Citizen's Academy: Since 1993 the Auburn Police Department has hosted a Citizen's Police Academy for local residents. The Citizen's Academy is; a 12 - week program where participants meet once each week from 6:30 — 9:30 p.m. to learn about and interact with Police Department employees, from the Chief of Police to the Volunteer Program Coordinator. Topics of discussion include K-9, Narcotics, Investigations, Firearms/Officer Survival, Records Management, Traffic Enforcement, and Patrol to name just a few. The LLEBG funds have been utilized to pay for the officers to attend this program, which occurs outside of normal business hours. This program has been very successful in educating our community members in terms of the basics of law enforcement, as well as building public trust and support. In conclusion, the City of Auburn has been utilizing federal law enforcement grant funding for approximately ten years. These funds have been used to support several of our community policing efforts, as previously outlined. The continuation of these grant funds will ensure that these programs continue with the same frequency as in years past. The City of Auburn has been very responsible and judicious in our use of federal grant funding, and we look forward to continued support and opportunity. Respectfully Submitted, Sergeant Jamie Sidell Inspectional Services Unit Auburn Police Department Page 4 of 4