REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 21, 2025
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Grant Agreement with the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the Fiscal Year 2023 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 24-137 with the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the Fiscal Year 2023 Formula DNA Backlog Reduction Program, effective October 1, 2025, extending the performance period by one year, for a total period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026, with no change to the award amount of $764,592.
2. Approve the purchase of one Temperature Monitoring System, as an unbudgeted fixed asset, in the amount of $65,000 for use in the Sheriff’s Crime Laboratory.
3. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post necessary budget adjustments to the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s 2025-26 budget, as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The amended grant award will extend the performance period for the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) Fiscal Year 2023 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program (CEBR Program), by one year, for a total term of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026, with no change to the awarded amount of $764,592.
The Department is requesting to shift funding between approved budget categories and purchase one Temperature Monitoring System ($65,000) and laboratory supplies ($128,000) needed to process evidence. The increases will be funded by the deletion of one Qiagen EZ2 Connect machine ($79,442) and a decrease to overtime ($113,558), resulting in no net impact to the budget.
The Department requests the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the following adjustments to the 2025-26 budget:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4438001000 |
51001035 |
Overtime |
Decrease |
$113,558 |
|
4438001000 |
52002135 |
Special Department Expense |
Increase |
$128,000 |
|
4438001000 |
54404040 |
Equipment |
Decrease |
$14,442 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On April 11, 2023 (Item No. 52), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the submission of a grant application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for funding under the CEBR Program in the amount of $714,313. On February 6, 2024 (Item No. 52), the Board approved Agreement No. 24-137 accepting an awarded amount of $764,592 for the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2025.
The Department has received funding under the CEBR Program in the past, which has been used for salaries, and to replace outdated equipment, purchase supplies, and provide training. The current grant award will continue to fund a contract DNA Criminalist I position (created and originally funded utilizing the FY 2021 CEBR Program), overtime costs, training, travel, services and supplies, external audit fees, and replacement of aging computers and equipment.
On July 28, 2025, the Department received a one-year extension from the BJA. Amendment No. 1 (Amendment) is being submitted to the Board for approval at the earliest available meeting after the required legal and financial reviews were completed. Approval of the Amendment will allow the requested purchase of the Temperature Monitoring System to improve oversight and monitoring of critical equipment and samples within the Department’s DNA section of the laboratory, improving DNA laboratory infrastructure and analysis capacity to enable forensic DNA samples to be processed more efficiently and cost effectively. The Department can submit claims for reimbursement retroactively to October 1, 2025.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 29, 2025; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on September 26, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on October 6, 2025.