CR 97-227 Law Enforcement Block Programr`---
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December 11, 1997
Council Report 97-227
Staff recommends approval of the following motion:
Move that the proposed use of funds for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants
Program be approved.
Overview
The Hopkins Police Department has received a federal grant for law enforcement in
the amount of $11,397.00. Before the grant funds can be received, a public
hearing must be held on the proposed use of the grant funds under the grant
conditions. The attached report details the allowable purpose areas and the
proposal for the use of the grant funds.
Supporting Documents
A report is attached.
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Heather M. Alex, Administrative Services Manager
Council Report
Page 1
NOVEMBER, 97
Grant Award
And Special Conditions
The purpose of the LLEBG Program is to reduce crime and improve public safety.
The Hopkins Police Department applied for funding under the LLEBGF program for FY
1997. The program establishes seven purpose areas for allocation of funds by local law
enforcement:
Purpose Areas:
Law e~orcement support for.
• Hiring, training and employing..new, additional taw enforcement
officers and necessary support personnel.
Paying overtime to presently employed law enforcement and
necessary support personnel for the purpose of increasing the
number of hones worked by such personnel,
• Procuring equipmeert, technology and other material directly related
to basic law enforcement functions.
2. Enhancing security measures:
• In and around schools
• In and around any other facility or location that the unit of local
govemmerk considees a special risk for incidents of crime.
3. Establishing or supporting drug courts. To be eligible forfuntling, a drug
court program must include the following:
• Coertinuing judicial supervision over offenders who are substance
abusers but not violent offenders.
• Integrating administration of other sanctions and services (see
graert application kit for details)
NOVEMBER, 97
4. Enhancing the adjudication of cases involving violent offenders,
including cases involving violent juvenile offenders.
5. Establishing a multfjurisdictional task force, particularly in rural areas,
composed of law enforcement officials represerrting units of local
govemmerrt. This task force will work with Federrl law enforcemenrt
officials representing units of local govemmerrt.
6. Establishing crime prevention programs involving cooperation between
community residents and law erdorcemerrt personnel to corrtroy detect,
or investigate crime or the prosecution of criminals.
7. Defraying the cost of indemnification insurance for law errforcemerrt
officers.
The award amorait for Hopkins based on the statutory albcatkon is $11,397.00.
PROPOSED USE OF FUNDS
The Hopkins Police Department proposes to use the grant funds for a computer network
project we are undertaking in 1998. This project involves getting hardware and software
to linkworkstations in a Gient-server local area network in the police department.
This project dovetails with the budgeted replacement of the police department's records
management system. By installing a local area network, access to the records system
can be expanded to adddional locations in the police department, thereby increasing
efficiency and providing better information to a greater number of users.
Other benefits of this project include:
• IntemeUVWVW access. The Police Department will establish a web site, which will
provide information to the community on crime statistics, crime prevention information,
program information, crime alert bulletins and Ifiks to other law enforcement and
crime prevention sites.
• E-mail. Users will be able to send and receive e-mail messages both internally and
externally. This will further streamline operations and allow for transfer of information
to take place faster and more effiaentty.
• Automation of forms and electronic data storage (paper reduction).
NOVEMBER, 97
Project Overview fiARDWARE SOFTWARE TOTAL
Xardware & Software 40,000 4800 44,800
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• A number of special conditions must be met by the grantee before funds can be obligated.
Special Conddion 15 requires that "a designated ornewly estab/fished advisory board
will meet to discuss the proposed use (purpose area) of the grant funds." The
recipient will designate the advisory board to make nonbinding recommendations to the
recipient for the use of funds under the LLEBG Program. Membership on the advisory
board must include a representative from the following: the local police department, the
local prosecutor's office, the local court system, the local school system, and a local
nonprofit, educational, religious, or community group active in crime prevention or drug
use prevention or treatment.
• The advisory board met on November 24, 1997. Board membership inGuded the
following individuals:
1. Hopkins Police Deoar[ment: Heather M. Alex, Administrative Services Manager
Captain James P. Liddy
2. Mr. Wynn Curtiss, Hopkins Gity Prosecutor, immediate past president,
Minnetonka-Hopkins Rotary
3. Ms. Suzanne Murdock, Court Division Supervisor,Hennepin County District Court,
Ridgedale
4. Ms. Sharon MacDonald, Chemical Dependency Counselor, Hopkins School
District, immediate past president, Teens Alone
5. Mr. Doug Strandness, President, Hopkins Apartment Manager's coalition
The board concurred with the proposed use of funds for Purpose Area 1. Suggestions
were noted to explore potential computer links with the Hennepin County Court system,
posting of crime statistics to a department web site for apartment managers, and other
computer network capabilities.
• PUBLIC PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENT
A public hearing must be held an the proposed use of Block Grants funds prior to
the issuance of a grant adjustment notice and the obligation of any funds received.
The public hearing is scheduled for December 16, 1997 at 7:30 p.m.