REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 28, 2025
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Memorandum of Agreement Template for Assistance Under the State of California Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Plan and Memorandums of Agreement with Local Police Departments
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a non-financial post-event Memorandum of Agreement template to meet the requirements of the California Office of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Assistance Fund, for the period of January 28, 2025, through June 30, 2029.
2. Authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator to execute, on behalf of the County, the individual post-event Memorandum of Agreement with other agencies that provide mutual aid during future emergencies within San Bernardino County’s jurisdiction, to meet the requirements of the California Office of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Assistance Fund, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator to execute, on behalf of the County, the individual post-event Memorandum of Agreement with the following law enforcement agencies that provided resources as mutual aid, during the recent Line Fire emergency response, to meet the requirements of the California Office of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Assistance Fund, subject to County Counsel review:
a. Barstow Police Department
b. Chino Police Department
c. Colton Police Department
d. Fontana Police Department
e. Montclair Police Department
f. Ontario Police Department
g. Redlands Police Department
h. Rialto Police Department
i. San Bernardino Police Department
j. Upland Police Department
(Presenter: Kelly Welty, Chief Deputy Director, 387-3760)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
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
The recommended post-event Memorandums of Agreement may result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The State of California has established policy concerning its law enforcement mutual aid plan (LEMAP). The LEMAP ensures coordination of law enforcement mutual aid planning and readiness at the local, state and federal levels. It also delineates the standard procedure used to request and acquire law enforcement resources. The LEMAP has established operational areas across the State and designates the county Sheriff as the Operational Area Law Enforcement Coordinator (OALEC). The OALEC is responsible to activate and request mutual aid in response to an emergency or disaster.
In May 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom, in collaboration with the California State Sheriff’s Association created the LEMA fund to reimburse local law enforcement agencies that responded to disasters and emergencies. Upon approval by the California State Legislature, $25 million is appropriated on an annual basis. On July 1, 2022, the LEMA fund took effect, and the California Office of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Branch was tasked with developing and managing the LEMA fund.
LEMA provides funds to support mutual aid requests from all communities in California. It allows for additional resources to be redirected to minimize the cost and impact of disasters or emergencies, while expediting the delivery of services. Law enforcement agencies that respond to calls for mutual aid can submit reimbursement claims for their expenses to LEMA (i.e.: responding officer overtime, backfill cost for responding officers, lodging, per diem, mileage, fuel, etc.). To submit those claims, and be eligible for reimbursement, responding agencies are recommended to provide a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the agency that requested resources under mutual aid conditions.
Acting as the designated OALEC, the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator requested the additional resources from the surrounding cities’ police departments to respond and assist during the Line Fire emergency. To comply with the process to submit reimbursement claims established by LEMA, MOAs must be executed between the requesting and responding agencies. Approval of Recommendation No. 1 will allow for the use of a template MOA to meet the LEMA requirements.
Approval of Recommendation No. 2 will authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator to execute post-event MOAs with local law enforcement agencies that respond to calls for mutual aid in the event of future disasters or emergencies and assist those agencies in their cost reimbursement claim process as required by the LEMA fund. Approval of Recommendation No. 3 will authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator to execute the required post-event MOAs with the listed ten local police departments, to allow those agencies the submission of their cost reimbursement claims to the LEMA fund.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Miles Kowalski, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 2, 2024; Finance (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on December 23, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on December 23, 2024.