REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 4, 2025
FROM
SAM FISK, Chair, Law and Justice Group Administration
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award Agreement from the California Board of State and Community Corrections for the 2025-26 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Equipment and Training Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve grant award agreement (State Agreement No. BSCC 1509-25), including non-standard terms, from the California Board of State and Community Corrections for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Equipment and Training Program, in the amount of $1,708,118, for the period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer or the Chair of the Law and Justice Group, as required by the California Board of State and Community Corrections, to sign and submit the grant award agreement, and any subsequent non-substantive amendments on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Adopt Resolution, as required by the California Board of State and Community Corrections, authorizing the Chief Executive Officer or the Chair of the Law and Justice Group to sign and submit the grant award agreement and any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the grant award documents on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
4. Direct the Chair of the Law and Justice Group to transmit the grant award agreement and any non-substantive amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
5. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary budget adjustments to the Law and Justice Group Administration 2025-26 budget to account for the increase in funds due to the grant award (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Sam Fisk, Law and Justice Group Chair, 387-3755)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total grant award for the grant award agreement (Agreement) is $1,708,118. No local match is required. The Law and Justice Group Administration (Department) requests the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector post the necessary adjustments to the 2025-26 budget. Approval requires a four-fifths vote.
|
Cost Center |
Commitment |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
1130002369 |
40509094 |
Federal-Grant |
Increase |
$1,708,118 |
|
1130002369 |
40308500 |
Interest |
Increase |
$5,000 |
|
1130002369 |
55405012 |
Services & Supplies Transfers Out |
Increase |
$830,168 |
|
1130002369 |
55405016 |
Capital Assets Transfers Out |
Increase |
$882,950 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) released the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Equipment and Training Program Request for Applications (RFA) on July 18, 2025, providing non-competitive, population-based grant funding to all California counties for the period of October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The JAG Equipment and Training Program offers one-time federal funding to support local criminal justice and behavioral health agencies through the purchase of equipment, supplies, and training aligned with established JAG Program Purpose Areas and Priority Areas of Need.
Following the release of the RFA, the County’s Law and Justice Group convened to identify shared priorities, assess departmental needs, and determine an equitable distribution of the County’s JAG allocation. Through this collaborative process, the Department coordinated a multi-agency application with the Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office, and Department of Behavioral Health, to address operational gaps and enhance program effectiveness. With approval from the Chief Executive Officer, the Department submitted a grant application to BSCC on September 3, 2025. The Department received a notification of award totaling $1,708,118 on October 7, 2025, and now presents this item to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval at the earliest available meeting. Board approval is requested retroactively to October 1, 2025, to ensure continuous grant eligibility during the performance period.
Under the award, the Department of Behavioral Health will receive $145,103 to develop a secure web-based Senate Bill 929 data portal to improve transparency and compliance with state-mandated mental health detention reporting. The District Attorney’s Office will receive $268,415 to strengthen its High-Tech Crimes Forensic Unit through the acquisition of advanced forensic software, tools, and training to expedite digital evidence processing and prosecution of violent offenders. The Probation Department will receive $160,000 to purchase and deploy TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers to enhance officer safety and field narcotics detection. The Sheriff’s Department will receive $1,134,600 to expand crisis response and tactical training capacity through the purchase of firearms with red-dot optics, medical kits, de-escalation and active-shooter simulators, and training facility technology upgrades. Any interest earnings generated from the award funds will be used to support the approved program activities identified in this award.
The BSCC award does not require a local match. The Department will administer the grant, coordinate quarterly progress and financial reports with BSCC, and process reimbursement disbursements in compliance with state and federal requirements. The Department requests the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector post the necessary 2025-26 budget increase to accept and distribute new revenue. Approval requires a four-fifths vote.
The Agreement contains the following non-standard term, which requires Board approval:
1. The Agreement requires that the County indemnify, defend and save harmless the BSCC.
• The standard County contract has no requirement for the County to indemnify another party to a contract.
• Potential Impact: By agreeing to the indemnity provision, the County may be subject to increased cost, expenditures and damages in the event of a third-party dispute. All parties, to the Agreement are public entities so governmental immunities will remain intact.
The Department recommends approval of the Agreement, including the non-standard term, as the grant award will provide one-time federal funding to enhance equipment, training, and data reporting capabilities across multiple law and justice departments, resulting in improved public and officer safety, behavioral health reporting, and prosecution of violent offenders.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniella Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 15, 2025; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, General Accounting Manager, 382-7022) on October 15, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on October 20, 2025.