Title
Adopt a resolution to authorize the Sheriff’s Office to accept a matching Grant award from the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance in the amount of $600,000 to partly fund the Axon Body Worn Camera Program.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Adopt a resolution to authorize the Sheriff’s Office to accept a matching Grant award from the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance in the amount of $600,000 to partly fund the Axon Body Worn Camera Program.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
At this time the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office does not utilize Body Worn Cameras (BWC) in its day-to-day operations. The Sheriff’s Office is in the minority locally and across the nation of agencies who are not using this tool for increased evidentiary value and community transparency. With this in mind the Sheriff’s Office established a goal to implement a BWC program across the entire organization to ensure every sworn would have an assigned camera as it is known BWCs increase transparency, help to build trust within the communities we serve, increase both officer and citizen safety, aid in the investigation and prosecution of crimes, and are a common tool across the law enforcement profession. To implement this goal the Sheriff’s Office applied for and was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance in the amount of $600,000 for the purchase and implementation of a Body Worn Camera program.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The CAO Budget Office has reviewed this report, and the Budget Committee approved this request at their March 28, 2024, meeting.
FINANCING:
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is requesting approval from the Board to accept a Grant award from the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance in the amount of $600,000 to partly fund the Axon Body Worn Camera Program. This amount will be spent in the next three fiscal years of which $349,800 was included in the FY2024-2025 Recommended Budget and the remaining $250,200 will be spent in the following next two fiscal years. The awarded grant can be utilized to provide funding over a 3-year period from the award date and requires $600,000 funding match during the 3-year grant period as well. All grant funds must be expended prior to the conclusion of September 2026.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
√_Administration
__Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
√_Public Safety
Prepared by: Arthur Curtright, MA III, ext #3708
Reviewed by: Jason Smith, Chief Deputy Sheriff, ext. #3801
Reviewed by: Keith Boyd, Undersheriff, ext. #3859
Approved by: Tina Nieto, Sheriff/Coroner, ext. #3750
Attachments:
Board Report
Dept. of Justice Grant Award Package
Resolution