Fiscal note
There is no impact on cost controls or the levy. Grant funds will be accounted for in a special revenue fund.
Title
Authorizing the Mayor, City Clerk and Chief of Police to accept a Project Safe Neighborhoods award from the State of Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance in the amount of $60,000 and to utilize these funds toward crime prevention and anti-gang enforcement efforts.
Body
WHEREAS, the U.S. Dept. of Justice has developed a nationwide Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative to reduce gun violence and gang activity, by linking together federal, state, and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders, to provide a multifaceted approach to deterring and punishing these illegal activities; and,
WHEREAS, this ongoing effort will allow local law enforcement to combat gangs by building on the effective strategies and partnerships developed under PSN; and,
WHEREAS, the Dane County Youth Gang Prevention Task Force Community Response Plan has outlined information regarding how Dane County has moved into the ranks of communities with full-fledged generational gangs that have an active entrepreneurial drug trade resulting in a number of violent gang-related acts such as shootings, graffiti and rival group conflicts; and,
WHEREAS, although this is a long-term problem that must be dealt with using a variety of methods, the Madison Police Department is responding to emerging illegal gang related activity through education, information sharing, and enforcement; and,
WHEREAS, these 2010 PSN funds will be used by the Madison, Fitchburg and Sun Prairie Police Departments, and the Dane County Sheriff's Office to coordinate efforts for intelligence-led violent crime prevention and gang-activity reduction; and
WHEREAS, this initiative will create community building activities and help at-risk youth, especially Latinos, resist pressures to join gangs through a new "Community Gang Prevention Team" program in which youth and parents will learn leadership, conflict resolution and youth violence prevention skills; and
WHEREAS, Madison Police Department Amigos en Azul and neighborhood officers will conduct a "Junior Police Academy" for Latino middle school-age students, who will have an opportunity to interact on a personal basis with police officers in a program designed to facilitate understanding of police processes and encourage interest in law enforcement careers.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison, through the Madison Police Department, is authorized to accept a Project Safe Neighborhoods award from the State of Wisconsin, Office of Justice Assistance in the amount of $60,000 (SG50-73212-712100).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and Common Council authorizes the expenditure of grant funds in accordance with the grant application, with modifications upon appropriate approvals from the Office of Justice Assistance, as follows:
1) Sworn officer overtime for the Fitchburg Police Department ($8,000), the Sun Prairie Police Department ($5,000) and the Dane County Sheriff's Office ($7,000) (SG50-57810-712100); and
2) Sworn officer overtime for the Madison Police Department Crime Prevention Gang Unit and Junior Police Academy ($21,481.00 SG 50-51300-712100; $1,644.00 SG50-52700-712100); and
3) Supplies for the Junior Police Academy ($1,875.00 SG50-55510-713120); and
4) At-risk Latino youth programming services provided by Centro Hispano of Dane County ($15,000 SG50-54920-713120).
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Comptroller and the Madison Police Department are authorized to establish and/or maintain accounts as required for the administration of the grant funds.