REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 11, 2022
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 2021 DNA Backlog Reduction Program Grant Award
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator Fiscal Year 2021 DNA Backlog Reduction Program (Award No. 15PBJA-21-GG-03087-DNAX) in the amount of $692,471, for the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.
2. Authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, or assigned grant administrator, to sign and submit the grant documents on behalf of the County, as required by the U.S. Department of Justice.
3. Direct the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, or assigned grant administrator, to transmit all documents in relation to this Award to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: John Ades, Deputy Chief, 387-3760)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
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 additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Fiscal Year 2021 DNA Backlog Reduction Program (Program) grant award in the amount of $692,471, does not require matching funds, and was not included in the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) 2021-22 budget. Budget adjustments are not requested at this time, but may be included in a future quarterly countywide budget report presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval, if necessary.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On June 8, 2021 (Item No. 89), the Board approved the submission of a grant application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for funding in the amount of $401,618.80 to support personnel, training, travel, services and supplies, audit fees and equipment under the Program. The Department’s grant application was accepted and on December 9, 2021, funding was awarded in the amount of $692,471 for the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.
The Department has received funding under the Program in the past, which has been used to replace outdated equipment, purchase supplies, and provide training. The current grant award will fund a DNA Criminalist position (created and originally funded utilizing the FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program), overtime costs, training, travel, services and supplies, external audit fees, and replacement of aging computers and equipment. New equipment will be acquired to assist with sample extractions and cleanup for analysis of evidence collected.
The award documents are being submitted to the Board for approval at the earliest available meeting after the required legal and financial reviews were completed. Acceptance of the grant award will enhance the Department’s ability to effectively analyze backlogged forensic DNA casework samples, as well as improve 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, 2021.
Signing and submitting the grant award documents is an on-line process to be completed by an individual that has the authority to certify acceptance of the award on behalf of the County. Approval of Recommendation No. 2 will authorize the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, or assigned grant administrator, to sign the grant award documentation in compliance with the U.S. Department of Justice’s policy.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Richard D. Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 15, 2021; Finance (Carolina Mendoza, Administrative Analyst, 387-0294) on December 16, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on December 16, 2021.