REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 1, 2026
FROM
JASON ANDERSON, District Attorney
SUBJECT
Title
Budget Adjustments and Reclassification of Law and Justice Office Assistant
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve appropriation adjustments to the District Attorney’s vehicle budget, in the amount of $95,000, to purchase a field vehicle to be outfitted to collect and analyze digital crime evidence.
2. Approve appropriation adjustments to the District Attorney’s equipment budget in the amount of $75,000 for the purchase and installation of audio/visual infrastructure in the District Attorney’s Justice Communications Center and $17,000 for the purchase of a Spectra BlackPearl storage system to replace an existing storage system nearing obsolescence that provides backup for on-premise data and provides storage of digital evidence.
3. Reclassify vacant Law and Justice Office Assistant (R32A), position no. 83841, to Law and Justice Office Specialist (R38).
4. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post necessary budget adjustments as detailed in the Financial Impact section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Michael Fermin, Chief Assistant District Attorney, 382-3662)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Enhance Readiness for Major Emergency Responses.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The District Attorney (Department) requests a budget adjustment of $81,756 to reappropriate unspent Fiscal Year 2025-26 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) funds previously allocated to the Department for the purchase of a field vehicle. The Department was unable to expend the funds during 2025-26 because the awarded vendor was unable to procure and deliver the vehicle as contracted. The Department requests an additional $13,244 in existing Department appropriations to supplement the $81,756 in JAG BSCC funding, for a total vehicle budget adjustment of $95,000, due to unforeseen increases in vehicle costs.
The 2025 JAG BSCC period of performance has been extended to September 30, 2027; therefore, the proposed expenditure of the JAG BSCC funds for the field vehicle will occur within the grant’s allowable period of performance.
The Department also requests a budget adjustment to move funds within its budget to purchase audio/visual infrastructure in the amount of $75,000 to be installed at the Department’s Justice Communications Center. Of the $75,000 cost, Assembly Bill 109 Community Corrections Partnership Committee (AB109 CCP) is funding $46,851 and the remaining $28,149 will be funded through the Department’s Discretionary General Fund allocation.
In addition, the Department requests a budget adjustment to move funds within its budget for $17,000 to increase existing appropriation to purchase the Spectra BlackPearl storage system (storage system). The storage system is at the end of its useful life and vendors will no longer provide support or updates.
The Department requests the budget adjustment as shown in the table below to fund the above projects. The Department will fund the cost of $6,764 to reclassify the vacant Law and Justice Office Assistant position to Law and Justice Office Specialist through the use of salary savings from vacant positions in 2026-27. The Department will include the cost in future recommended budget.
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4500001000 |
54504050 |
Vehicles |
Increase |
$95,000 |
|
4500001000 |
52002445 |
Other Professional and Special Services |
Decrease |
$13,244 |
|
4500001000 |
55415017 |
Capital Assets Transfer In |
Increase |
$81,756 |
|
4500001000 |
54404040 |
Equipment |
Increase |
$92,000 |
|
4500001000 |
52002116 |
Computer Hardware Expense |
Decrease |
$46,851 |
|
4500001000 |
52002130 |
Non-Inventoriable Equipment |
Decrease |
$45,149 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department is the public prosecutor and has the mandated responsibility to prosecute crimes committed within San Bernardino County (County), including city jurisdictions, pursuant to Government Code section 26500. The Department receives over 60,000 crime reports annually to review for investigation and prosecution. Due to the high demand for digital evidence to prosecute crime, the Department established a High-Tech Crime Unit (HTCU) in 2025-26. The Department determined that a field vehicle for investigations would improve efficiency by allowing digital evidence to be obtained, analyzed, and interpreted onsite rather than requiring evidence to be transported back to the HTCU laboratory. In addition, digital evidence will be provided for prosecution more quickly.
The Board of Supervisors approved the field vehicle on May 5, 2026 (Item No. 36) and the Department conducted a competitive solicitation to procure a van. However, the awarded vendor could not procure and deliver the van as contracted. The County canceled the vendor’s contract in August 2026. As a result, the Department is requesting to reappropriate the unspent $81,756 in JAG BSCC grant funds to complete the purchase of the field vehicle within the grant’s period of performance. The Department is currently reviewing options to determine the most effective method to procure the field vehicle.
During the budget development for 2026-27, the Department requested a one-time allocation from the AB109 CCP to purchase and install audio/visual infrastructure at its Justice Communications Center. This audio/visual infrastructure will facilitate communication during community commission meetings, collaboration with law enforcement agencies, meetings with victims of crime, and required staff training. The audio/visual infrastructure will also assist with the technology needs of the media at press conferences. The AB109 CCP Committee approved the request and the Department received $46,851 in its 2026-27 budget. The Department subsequently determined that additional audio/visual equipment and functionality would add significant value for meeting attendees, including remote attendance. The revised project will cost approximately $75,000. The Department will reprogram $28,149 of appropriation from services and supplies to fund the additional cost.
During budget development for 2026-27, the Department obtained quotes to replace its storage system in its fixed asset budget. However, due to the demand for hardware for data centers and infrastructure to support artificial intelligence, the price of the storage system has increased approximately $11,120. The Department is requesting to add $5,880 of appropriation for a total increase of $17,000 to its fixed asset budget to plan for any further unforeseen cost increases.
The storage system is at the end of its useful life and vendors will no longer provide support or maintenance. The system provides critical on-premise backup for data and applications as well as storage of digital evidence.
And finally, the Department also requests approval for the reclassification of a vacant Law and Justice Office Assistant to a Law and Justice Office Specialist in its Bureau of Administration. The Department needs the position to perform higher level duties and inadvertently missed requesting the reclassification during budget development for 2026-27. Due to heavy workload and operational needs, the Department requests to make this adjustment while the position is vacant. The reclassification will align the job duties with the appropriate classification and enable the Department greater flexibility in assigning work.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniella Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 20, 2026; Human Resources (Jose Mancilla, Employment Division Chief, 387-6080) on August 12, 2026; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on August 20, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Terri Sumrall, 387-0294, and Elias Duenas, 387-4052, Administrative Analysts) on August 21, 2026.