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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-09-24 City Council (16)TO: City of Palo Alto C ty Manager’s Repor HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE AGENDA DATE: September 24, 1996 CMR:402:96 SUBJECT:Approval of Expenditure of AB 3229 Funds (Supplemental Funding for Citizens Option for Public Safety) REQUEST Assembly Bill 3229 enacted on July 10, 1996, provides supplemental funding for local law enforcement agencies under the COPS Program (Citizens Option for Public Safety). In compliance with this legislation, staff is requesting Council for conceptual approval for expenditure of those funds allocated to the City of Palo Alto totalling approximately $135,000. Pending Council’s conceptual approval, staff intends on using the funds for three purposes: 1) the proposed Positive Altematives for Youth (PAY) Program components, 2) a City Crime Alert program using fax machines and the City’s TRAK system, and 3) the Gang Resistance and Education and Training (G.P,.E.A.T.) Program. RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends Council’s conceptual approval for the use of funds allocated to the City and Police Department as the result of AB 3229 distribution for the Positive Alternatives for Youth Program, the City Crime Alert Program, and the G.R.E.A.T. Program. Prior to receipt of the actual.funds, staff will return to Council with a Budget Amendment Ordinance (BAO), which will include more detailed allocation requests. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Expenditures of funds for youth programs complies with Council’s priorities established at the beginning of the year. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Requirements of AB 3229 Assembly Bill 3229, which became effective on July 10, 1996, allocates~’$100 million to counties and cities for the purposes of the Citizens Option for Public Safety Program. The CMR:402:96 Page 1 of 10 Legislature enacted the bill in order to fill the need for additional resources at the local levels for the purpose of ensuring public safety. As a result of this bill, each county is required to establish a Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF) to received State funds. The funds in each county are to be distributed as follows: 1) 2) 3) 12.5 percent to the Sheriff’ s Office for jail construction and operation; 12.5 percent to the District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution; and 75 percent to the county and cities based upon population for front line law enforcement services, including community crime prevention and anti-gang activities.. Under the provisions of AB 3229, governing boards of each city must hold a public hearing during September for the purposes of reviewing and approving the Police Department’s request for expenditures of the funds. The funds must supplement existing services and cannot be used to supplant any existing funds. Once Council approves the Police Department’s request, the proposal must then be submitted to the County’s Supplemental Law Enforcement Oversight Committee (SLEOC), which will consist of a Police Chief, the Sheriff, the Dislrict Attorney, the County Executive and a City Manager. The Police Chief and City Manager appointments to SLEOC are made by the cities by a selection committee. The Santa Clara County selection committee has appointed David Knapp, City Manager of Los Gatos, and Mike Maehler, Police Chief of Mountain View. In addition to reviewing all of the proposals to determine whether the expenditure of the funds are in compliance with the legislation, SLEOC is responsible for producing an annual report to the public. Each’ city is also required to establish a separate SLESF, so that these monies are not intermingled with general fund dollars. The City’s financial officer must provide monthly investment and expenditure reports. Additionally, the City must submit an annual audit report to the SLEOC. It should be noted that while this bill covers allocation of funds for one year, according to information received by staff, there are definite possibilities for continued funding during subsequent years. Funding Recommendations Staff is recommending that AB 3229 funds be allocated in the following manner: $119,000 for the Positive Alternatives for Youth Program; $10,000 for the Community Crime Alert Program; and $5,000 for the Gang Resistance and Education and Training Program. CMR:402:96 Page 2 of 10 Positive Alternatives for Youth Program Proposal While the PAY Committee is still in the process of fmalizing the recommendations associated with the program, due to the public heating requirement included in AB 3229, staff is able to provide only the conceptual framework and cost estimates for the components associated with the proposed program at this time. Pending Council and SLEOC approval, prior to actual receipt of the funds, more details for each component and more precise allocations will be presented to Council with a BAO. While traditionally the causes and cures of youth violence and gang activities have been addressed by the criminal justice system and schools, there is now the realization that because these problems affect entire communities, they are best addressed from a community approach. As a result, the PAY Committee has developed a six-component program using resources of not only the Police Deparlment, but the Community Services Department, the Palo Alto Unified School District, the business community and other organizations who deal with young people. The components include mentoring, community services, job placement, recreation, life skills/counseling, and tutoring. Attachment A is a draft structural design of the program. The following is a summary of each proposed component: Life Skills/Counseling Goal: To provide counseling services to families, parents, and young people; and to provide life skills training to young people to assist them in their preparation for employment opportunities. Objectives: o To conduct intake assessments for families and young people and to screen for major problem areas. ¯To provide six weeks (nine hours) of bilingual classes and support groups to parents. ¯To provide, with assistance from PAUSD, bilingual individual, family and group counseling sessions for targeted families and youth. ¯To conduct job coaching classes for targeted youth. Target Group: Middle and high school students in PAUSD. Parents of middle and high school students in PAUSD, including those who are Spanish speaking. CMR:402:96 Page 3 of 10 Summary: This component would include counseling, career education/vocational training for high school students, and middle school job preparation training for at-risk young people. Use of Funds: As an expansion of Adolescent Counseling Services’ programs currently in place, approximately $36,000 would be used to pay interns who would serve as counselors and who would conduct the classes. o o Job Placement Goal: To obtain part-time work for high risk young people that will provide constructive activities, teach them responsibility, enhance their self-esteem, provide for adult role models, and expose them to the working environment. Objectives: During the first year, identify and place 15 high risk high school students in jobs andhave them successfully complete a minimum of 60 days of employment at the same place of employment. Target Group: Students - 15 high risk youths (five Spangler, five Gunn, five Paly) Summary: A pilot job placement program was instituted this past year by the Police Department and Recreation Division. Five at-risk young people who attended Spangler School were identified for participation. With assistance from the Downtown Marketing Committee, five employers were found. The young people worked three to four days a week.. The business pays their salary. This program would be expanded and enhanced to ensure that young people get connected with mentors and also to include counseling provisions. Use of Funds: Monies ($10,000) for this component would be used for costs for counselors to work with this group of young people several hours a week, and instructors for seminars to assist the young people as they prepare and enter the work world. Additionally, some funds would be used for several small appreciation events for those businesses who participate. Mentoring Goal:To provide the youth of our community with positive role models and avenues to help achieve successful life goals. CMR:402:96 Page 4 of 10 Objectives: ¯ Identify 15 adult volunteers who are willing to mentor an at risk youth for a minimum of two hours a week. o Provide two hours of referral training to each volunteer conducted by the Program Coordinator. Target Group: Fifteen high risk youth (maybe overlap with job placement) Summary: A need for mentors for high risk young people is very apparent. This component would assist in connecting adult mentors who will work with these young people a minimum of two hours a week. Each mentor would receive training in resources and referrals, suggested activities with the youth involved, and guidelines for developing successful mentor relationships. Mentors will be recruited from the City’s Volunteer Program, service organizations, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Use of Funds: Funds for this component ($5,000) will be used to defray some of the costs of activities for the mentors and the young people. Recreation Goal: To provide positive and healthy recreational activities that are social, physical, and fun. Objectives: ¯ To provide an outlet for high school students to create and plan recreational activities for their peers. ¯To co-sponsor recreational activities with high school staff, school clubs and community groups. ¯To provide recreational activities in both north and south Palo Alto. ¯To develop multi-school social activities to bring high school students together in a positive environment. All high school students All middle school students Summary: Existing recreation programs for all young people such as Safer Summer, the Outlet Program and the Teen Center have contributed a great deal to the positive CM1~:402:96 Page 5 of 10 environment for the youth in this community. These programs would not only continue under the PAY program, but would be enhanced in order to reach more young people. Examples would include the development of a summer program for middle school students, increases in field trips, classes for personal development, and development of sport clinics with Stanford athletes. Use of Funds: Monies for this component ($35,000) would be used for the enhancement to the Outlet, Teen Center, and the Safer Summer Program. Tutoring Component Goal: To provide opporttmities to teens to receive quality tutorial services to enhance their educational growth. Objectives: To provide regular tutorial service in both north and south Palo Alto. To provide regular tutorial services to middle and high school teens. To provide afternoon and evening tutorial services. To offer both adult and peer tutoring. Target Group Middle and high school students in PAUSD who have attendance problems, learning disabilities and academic deficiencies. Summary: While there are currently some tutoring opportunities provided in the schools and in the Outlet Program, the PAY Committee believes more young people would benefit from additional opportunities. Use of Funds: Funds associated with this component ($30,000) would be used to compensate tutors. Communi _ty Services Goal: To provide community service volunteer opportunities. Objective: Explore two options for community service opportunities. a)Connect students to learning by incorporating into curriculum augmented volunteer opportunities. their academic CMR:402:96 P~e 6 of 10 b)Develop a catalogue of internship oppommities to connect at-risk youth with positive volunteer options to work off court-ordered community service. Develop reward system for positive completion of community service assignments. a) Earn academic credits through Palo Alto Unified School District for satisfactory completion of assignments. b) Create positive community internship options which can be listed on a resume. c)Link volunteer service assignments to training needs fo~ future job opportunities. Look at some types of service or pizza party, rewards. service d) Connect community service component with Mid-Peninsula clubs/agencies. a) Develop connections with community service organizations. Target Group: High school students who are at-risk Middle school students who are unable to participate in job placement Summary: The activities and services provided under this component would also expand current programs coordinated by the City’s Human Services Division. These organizations include Youth Community Service (YCS), the HAAS Center for Public Service, Community IMPACT, NOVA Youth Job Training, Friends for Youth, Project AIMYE, and the Palo Alto Teen Center. The primary focus will be on middle school students who are too young to participate in the job placement activities. Use of Funds: Funds for this component ($3,000) would be used for development of an alliance between the PAY Program and community agencies to enhance volunteer opportunities for young people. Council will recall that staffhas submitted an application to the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance for a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (CMR:373:96). The proposal associated with the application is for the allocation of grant funds to be used to hire a part-time program coordinator and a part-time job placement director. Should this funding not be received, staff would propose using approximately $35,000 of AB 3229 funds for this purpose. If this were to occur, the estimated funds needed for component costs would be reduced. Staff anticipates receiving notification regarding the grant application in early fall. CMR:402:96 Page 7 of 10 Communi _ty Crime Alert System The Police Department was recently provided with a unique opportunity to obtain a computer system, Technology to Recover Abducted Kids (TRAK). The system is designed to enable the Department to instantly develop a high quality, color, missing-child flyer and to electronically distribute the flyer to other law enforcement agencies and to Community Alert Teams. These teams include the media, business owners, schools, etc. The system was developed by SocialTech Incorporated for the purpose of integrating community resources in collaborative efforts. Large corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Nordstrom, Chevron and others helped to sponsor a regional program that placed these systems in police departments thr.oughout the area. The Charles and Helen Schwab Family Foundation donated two-thirds of the cost of the systems for Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, and Palo Alto Police Departments. As part of the community collaboration, the Palo Alto Police Department received contributions from the Palo Alto and Peninsula Kiwanis Clubs and from Palo Alto Community Child Care to defray the remaining one-third of the costs for the system. The system was purchased and recently installed. Since its installation, staff has identified other uses for the system, in addition to distributing information about abducted children. As an example, because fax numbers for each law enforcement agency in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties are programmed into the system, a flyer with the information and photograph of a wanted suspect was distributed almost instantaneously. Currently, fax numbers for banks, retail establishments, and schools are being programmed into the system. The system will then be used to disseminate crime trend and alert information to various segments of the community. Staffhas determined that it would be very beneficial to have fax machines in key neighborhood locations for the same purpose and, as a result, is proposing to use some of the AB 3229 allocation to purchase machines. These machines would be installed in Neighborhood Watch Block Captains’ homes in key areas throughout the City. Crime alert information would then be disseminated in a very timely and efficient manner to the residential areas of the City. Staff believes the addition Of the TRAIt system will help to enhance the safety of the community and prevent additional crimes from occurring. The recent experience with the serial rapist and the need to inform the public demonstrates the benefit of the neighborhood element to the system. Funds in the amount of $10,000 would cover the purchase, monthly telephone line charges and the per fax charges for ten locations. Since fax machines are made only to both send and receive, stafffeels comfortable in ensuring their use only for crime alert purposes, by requiting the Block Captain to complete a fax audit log and comparing the logs with the monthly phone line charges. G.R.E.A.T. Program CMR:402:96 Page 8 of 10 Last year, the Police Department initiated a pilot G.R.E.A.T. program and is continuing it this current fiscal year. The nine-week program is presented to sixth grade students at both Palo Alto middle schools. Students who participate in the program are provided an opportunity to discover for themselves the consequences of gang violence through structured, reality-based exercises and interactive approaches to learning. Included in the program are many optional and extended activities which reinforce what the students learn in the classroom. Since school has started this year, staff has determined that additional funds would be beneficial for these optional activities. Additionally, funds are needed to provide for incentives such as t-shirts, and projects for the students involved in the program. As a result, staff is requesting $5,000 from the AB 3229 allocation for this program. FISCAL IMPACT Palo Alto’s allocation of AB 3229 funds totals $135,130. After these funds have been released by the State and County, they would be deposited into a City supplemental law enforcement service fund which would be established. Staff proposes to use $119,000 for the PAY Program, $10,000 for the City Crime Alert System, and $5,000 for the G.R.E.A.T. Program. Funds were distributed to the counties on September 16. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT This is not a project subject to CEQA requirements. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Proposed PAY Program Structure CMR:373:96 PREPARED BY: LYNNE JOHNSON, Assistant Police Chief CM~:402:96 Page 9 of 10 DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: DURKIN, Police Chief CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: FLEMING, City CMR:402:96 Page 10 of 10 City City of Palo Alto Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE DATE:August 8, 1996 CMR: 373:96 SUBJECT:LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION REQUEST This is an informational report and no Council action is requested at this time. The Police Department has submitted an.application to the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance for a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. This report provides information on the application. Staff will return to Council for approval prior to actual receipt of any funds. RECOMMENDATIONS This is an informational report and no Council action is required at this time.. POLICY IMPLICATIONS There are no impacts on current policies. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Federal Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY 1996 authorized the Director of the Bureau of JUstice Assistance (BJA) to make funds available to local agencies, under the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program for the purposes of reducing crime and improving public safety. Included among the purposes grant funds may be used for are crime prevention programs involving cooperation between the community and law enforcement personnel. As staff reviewed the grant application information, a determination was made that an opportunity may exist to assist in funding the recommendations that the Positive Alternatives for Youth (PAY) Committee is in the process of finalizing. This Committee was formed at the direction of Council to develop long-range strategies to deal with youth violence and gang CMR:373:96 Page 1 of 3 activity. After gathering information from youth questionnaires and examining other successful programs, the Committee began to construct a Palo Alto response to the diverse needs of young people in the community. While the Committee still has additional work to complete in the finalization of the recommendations, the general concept of PAY will be to establish a multifaceted program built on some existing programs such as the City’s Outlet Program, the Teen Center, and the gang prevention program, Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.1LE.A.T.), to provide enhancements to some of those programs, and to implement a job° placement program for at-risk youth. Staff believes that this program truly embraces the clef’tuition of crime prevention in that it will provide young people and their families with alternative activities, assistance, counseling and the opportunity to choose more positive life directions. City staff and members of the Committee believe that the key to the success of the PAY program will hinge on the availability of a coordinator, to oversee all the various component~ of the program and to ensure that at-risk youth and their families are provided the assistance and guidance they need, and fora job placement director, who will work with the business community in providing job opportunities for these young people. As a result, staff would propose, pending, approval of the grant funding, to use these monies to hire a part-time temporary, program coordinator and a part-time job placement director who would be instrumental in implementing the other components of the program. While staff would have prefe.rred to present the Council with the specific PAY program recommendations prior to completing the grant application, staff did not want to miss the chance for a potential grant award. Therefore due to the short application period, staff has submitted an application to BJA. Before actual expenditure of any funds that may be received, staff will return to Council with the PAY program recommendations in detail. If grant funds are received, under the provisions of established by BJA, the City would have two years during which to expend the funds. FISCAL IMPACT Distribution of grant funds will be determined based upon crime rate data and population of each local agency. According to information received from BJA, Palo Alto’s award would be in the amount of $29,500. Cities receiving grant funds are required to provide a one-ninth match. Based upon the amount of Palo Alto’s potential award, the City’s match would be approximately $3,279. CM~:373:96 Page 2 of 3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT This is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act and is not subject to CEQA requirements. PREPARED BY: Lynne Johnson, Assistant Police Chief DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: CITY MANAGER REVIEW: CHRIS DURKIN, P/olice Chief CMR:373:96 Page 3 of 3