Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 01/04/2022 - ITEMS RELATING TO THE FORT COLLINS POLICE SERVICES Agenda Item 2 Item # 2 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 4, 2022 City Council STAFF Melissa Funk, Victim Services Supervisor Tim Doran, Police Assistant Chief Adam Stephens, Legal SUBJECT Items Relating to the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Uni t. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. First Reading of Ordinance No. 002, 2022, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue from the Eighth Judicial District Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement Board in the General Fund for the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit. B. First Reading of Ordinance No. 003, 2022, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice under the Federal Victim of Crime Act in the General Fund for the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit. The purpose of this item is to fund the Victim Services Unit of Fort Collins Police Services for victim advocacy services under the Colorado Victim Rights Amendment for victims of crime and their family members. The Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit has been awarded a $49,000 VALE grant for the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. The VALE grant is through the Eighth Judicial District Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement (VALE) Board to help fund services provided by this team. The VOCA Grant is a 24-month grant in the amount of $49,101 for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022, by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice under the Federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA), to help fund services provided by this team. The first half of the grant in the amount of $24,551 was received and appropriated in 2021 (per Ordinance # 003) The amount to be received in 2022 is $24,55 0. These funds will be used for part of the salary for the victim advocate who provides c risis intervention services for sexual assault victims between the school ages of kindergarten through 12th grade. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinances on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The Victim Services Unit has received funding from the VALE grant since the inception of the program in 1996. Colorado state statutes mandate law enforcement agencies follow the Victim Rights Amendment to the Colorado Constitution. Many of the stages in the mandated statutes are fulf illed by the Victim Services Unit. Services have been provided to thousands of victims and their family members who have become victims of violent crime in the community. Council has approved appropriations of the VALE grant revenue every year. Services to the community would be drastically cut without this grant award. These funds will be used for 20 hours a week toward the salary for the victim advocate who provides crisis intervention services during weekday hours and is housed in the Victim Services of fice. Another portion of the Agenda Item 2 Item # 2 Page 2 VALE grant will fund a part-time, 20 hour a week victim advocate who will cover weekend defendant bond hearings and work with victims of these crimes. Funds will also pay for a portion of the operational expenses needed to provide 24-hour, 7-days/week services to victims of crime in the community. This will be the second year Fort Collins Police Services has received grant funding from VOCA. The funding will help fulfill the legal mandates under the Colorado Constitution as well. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS The City has received a grant in the amount of $49,000 from the Eighth Judicial District Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement Board to help fund victim services activities which requires no local cash match. The City has also been awarded a grant in the amount of $49,101 from the Federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA). The amount to be received in 2022 is $24,55 0 as the first half of the grant in the amount of $24,551 was received and appropriated in 2021. The grant from VOCA required a 25% match which will be filled by an in-kind match from volunteer hours worked. Both grants will be used to benefit victim services activities. -1- ORDINANCE NO. 002, 2022 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE FROM THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT VICTIM ASSISTANCE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT BOARD IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE FORT COLLINS POLICE SERVICES VICTIM SERVICES UNIT WHEREAS, the Colorado Victim Rights Act requires law enforcement agencies to provide certain services to victims of crime and their family members; and WHEREAS, Fort Collins Police Services has been awarded a grant in the amount of $49,000 (the “Grant”) for the period from January 1, 2022 to December 32, 2022 by the Eighth Judicial District Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement (“VALE”) Board to support the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit (“Victim Services”); and WHEREAS, Victim Services provides crisis intervention, resources and referral services to victims of violent crime and other traumatic situations; and WHEREAS, the Grant will be used to fund part of the salary for the victim advocate who provides crisis intervention services as well as a part-time victim advocate, and to partially pay operational expenses to provide 24-hour a day, 7-day a week services to victims of crime in the community; and WHEREAS, appropriation of the Grant serves a public purpose by assisti ng crime victims in the Fort Collins community; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the Interim City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that the appropriation of the Grant from the VALE Board to support Victim Services will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Police Services fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in that fund during any fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. -2- Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the General Fund the sum of FORTY-NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($49,000) for expenditure in the General Fund for the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of January, A.D. 2022, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of January, A.D. 2022. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ Interim City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of January, A.D. 2022. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk -1- ORDINANCE NO. 003, 2022 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE FROM THE COLORADO DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE UNDER THE FEDERAL VICTIM OF CRIME ACT IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE FORT COLLINS POLICE SERVICES VICTIM SERVICES UNIT WHEREAS, the Colorado Victim Rights Act requires law enforcement agencies to provide certain services to victims of crime and their family members; and WHEREAS, Fort Collins Police Services has been awarded a grant by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice in the amount of $49,101 (the “Grant”) under the Federal Victim of Crime Act (“VOCA”) to support the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit (“Victim Services”) for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022; and WHEREAS, the first half of the Grant was received and appropriated by the City Council’s approval of Ordinance No. 003, 2021, on January 19, 2021; and WHEREAS, the amount to be received and appropriated in 2022 is $24,550; and WHEREAS, Victim Services provides crisis intervention, resources and referral services to victims of violent crime and other traumatic situations; and WHEREAS, the Grant will be used to fund a part of the salary for the victim advocate who provides crisis intervention services for sexual assault victims between school ages of kindergarten through 12th grade; and WHEREAS, appropriation of the Grant serves a public purpose by assisting crime victims in the Fort Collins community; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations, in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the Interim City Manager has recommended the appropriation described herein and determined that the appropriation of the Grant from VOCA to support Victim Services will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Police Services fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues and all other funds to be received in that fund during any fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: -2- Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated from unanticipated grant revenue in the General Fund the sum of TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS ($24,550) for expenditure in the General Fund for the Fort Collins Police Services Victim Services Unit. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 4th day of January, A.D. 2022, and to be presented for final passage on the 18th day of January, A.D. 2022. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ Interim City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 18th day of January, A.D. 2022. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk