01-04-2000 - Federal Bulletproof Vest GrantCity Of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: City. Manager and City Council
FROM: Frank J.. Wills, Chief of Police
ALGENDA
ITEM NO. B-8-1
DATE JANUARY 4, 2000
®PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
SUBJECT: FEDERAL BULLETPROOF VEST GRANT
SUMMARY: The Police Department has received a $6,000 Bulletproof Vest Grant
from the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). This grant is a 50%
matching grant, and it reimburses expenses, rather than giving the money
up front. The City Council must now authorize an appropriation, a fund
transfer, and a reclassification of already incurred vest expenses, in order
to accurately reflect the finances of this grant and use this $6,000.
BACKGROUND:
In 1998, President Clinton signed the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act, to provide
matching funds for the purchase of police body armor. Since the expiration date of many
of its bulletproof vests had already passed, the West Covina, Police Department used its
California State Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF) grant to
purchase bulletproof vests. At the time that the City Council approved using the State
SLESF grant to purchase vests (see � Item G-I April 6, 1999), the Chief of Police
mentioned this Federal legislation would be ,available in the future to offset some of these
vest costs. Months later, the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) instituted its
Bulletproof Vest' Partnership grant program;. The Police Departmentimmediately began
its application process, resulting in a grant..of $6,000. The Police. Department hopes to
receive more grant funds in future funding rounds under this grant.
DISCUSSION:
Since this federal grant is a 50% matching grant, which means that in order to receive
that $6,000, we have to spend our own $6,000. The City Council approved spending a
portion of the State SLESF grant to purchase new bulletproof vests that are under the
manufacturer's warranty, and the Police Department has received those vests. We can
now use the BJA federal grant funds to offset $6,000 of those expenses.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City will receive a $6,000 reimbursement toward police bulletproof vest purchases.
The Police Department hopes to receive i more federal funding in the future. The
remainder of the costs for the bulletproof vests have already been paid for from the State
SLESF grant. The matching funds have already been spent, and the entire bulletproof
vest purchase required- no General Fund expenditure.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Formally accept the Federal BJA Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant;
2. Authorize a transfer of $6,000 from Fund 155 to Fund 195, and reduce 155-304-
2111-7160 appropriations by that amount;
3. Appropriate a total of $12,000 into Fund 195-304-2110-6270 ($6;000 from above;
and $6,000 directly from the BJA in grant funds); .
4. , Authorize the reclassification of $12,000 in bulletproof vest expenses already
incurred from 155-320-2111-7160 to 195-320=2110-6270.
Reviewed and Approved by: `%ii0x4
Margie F. Mcker, Finance Director