City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: MAY 8, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Submission of a Reimbursement Grant Application by the Alexandria Sheriff's Office Through the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: City Council authorization for the application by the Alexandria Sheriff's Office for a reimbursement grant from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, for the purchase of bulletproof vests from April 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Authorize the City Manager to continue the City's participation as an applicant jurisdiction for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program to permit the City's law enforcement agencies to apply for reimbursement for bulletproof vests purchased from April 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. Applications for the 2014 funding period are due by May 20, 2013.
(2) Authorize all City law enforcement agencies eligible under the requirements of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program to participate and apply for reimbursement under the City's comprehensive application in each year that federal funding is available for this program.
(3) Authorize the City Manager to execute any necessary documents.
BACKGROUND: The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program (BVP), is administered by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and provides supplemental reimbursement funding for the purchase of approved body armor for state and local law enforcement agencies.
Since 1999, over 13,000 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP Program, with $277 million in Federal funding committed to support the purchase of an estimated 800,000 vests. Through the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act of 2010, Public Law 111-117 has set aside $30,000,000 for the matching grant program for law enforcement armor vests, as authorized by Section 2501 of Title 1 of the 968 Act. The funding available to the jurisdiction is determined by the City population and fiscal need. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The application and reimbursement process is completed entirely over the internet.
DISCUSSION: The Alexandria City Council first authorized the City's participation in the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program in 1999. The Alexandria Sheriff's Office and Alexandria Police Department have utilized the program in prior years; most recently, the Sheriff's Office received approximately $5,000 in funding for ballistic vests in the 2012 funding cycle for this grant.
It is the goal of the Alexandria Sheriff's Office to access any available reimbursement funding for the purchase of ballistic vests to mitigate, to the extent possible, the fiscal impact on the City for the purchase of this life-saving equipment.
FISCAL IMPACT: The current cost of ballistic vests under the City's contract the Sheriff's Office uniforms and equipment is approximately $580 per unit. In FY 2013, the Sheriff's Office purchased 43 vests at a cost of $24, 940.00; in FY 12, 64 vests were purchased for $37, 120 and FY 2011, 54 vests were purchased at a total cost of $31,320. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for budgeting and replacing vests within its annual operating budget. Although reimbursement funds available may be minimal, participation by the Sheriff's Office in the BVP Program does lessen the fiscal impact on the City for required ballistic vests purchases.
STAFF:
Mondre' Kornegay, Technical Services Commander, Sheriff's Office
Michael Neebe, Sergeant, Sheriff's Office
Cindy Catlett, Fiscal Officer, Sheriff's Office
Dana Lawhorne, Sheriff
Paul Doku, Budget Analyst, Office of Management and Budget
2