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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report 2509-5265CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL Monday, November 03, 2025 Council Chambers & Hybrid 4:30 PM Agenda Item 13.Approval of the Acceptance of State of California Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) Funds of $211,715 and a Budget Amendment in the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund for municipal police service expenses; CEQA status – not a project. City Council Staff Report From: City Manager Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR Lead Department: Police Meeting Date: November 3, 2025 Report #:2509-5265 TITLE Approval of the Acceptance of State of California Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) Funds of $211,715 and a Budget Amendment in the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund for municipal police service expenses; CEQA status – not a project. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Approve the acceptance of annual Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) funds from State of California, totaling $211,715; and 2. Amend the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Appropriation for the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services (SLES) Fund by (requires 2/3 approval): a. Increasing the estimate for revenue from the State of California by $211,715; b. Increasing Police Department expense appropriation for Capitalized Equipment by $42,000; for Facilities and Equipment by $80,000; for Contract Services by $95,000; for Supplies and Materials by $67,000; for Rents and Leases by $75,000; and c. Decreasing fund balance by $147,285 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Staff recommends that the City Council approve the acceptance of the annual State of California COPS FY 2026 funds, totaling $211,715 and amend the budget appropriation in the SLES Fund to spend this revenue and appropriating unspent funding from previous years, totaling $147,285. This funding went into the fund balance at the close of the previous fiscal years to be used for other eligible expenses. In total, $359,000 is recommended for Public Safety Building (PSB) fixtures and installation services, low-speed vehicle, noncapitalized tools, equipment, and supplies related to municipal police service expenses. BACKGROUND Every year since 1997, the State of California, by statute, allocates designated funds to counties, which pass funding through to cities, through a Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) program. This ongoing program is apportioned by a State statute and the level of funding is relative to the population as determined by the California Department of Finance. This funding is not related to the Federal Government Department of Justice “COPS” program with the same acronym. ANALYSIS 1. Further, the Growth Fund portion (distribution B above) was reported and funded $106,5822. Staff recommends use of this year’s expected COPS funds, along with a portion of the existing fund balance, for a total amount of $359,000 ($211,715 in revenue and $147,285 in existing fund balance), in the following manner(s) which are compliant with the law. All expenses below are estimated. 1 State of California Department of Finance September 9, 2025 pg. 13 https://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD-Payments/copsdofletter_2526.pdf 2 State of California Citizens Option for Public Safety Growth Allocation Report For COPS and Juvenile Justice (FY2024-2025) Spreadsheet, sheet “Front Line City Breakdown”, row 500, column F https://www.sco.ca.gov/ard_payments_cops_growth.html Public Safety Building Equipment ($152,000) A number of items will need to be purchased by the department to outfit the building for police operations or to upgrade old, beyond life, equipment that is not suitable for the new facility. Some of those items include hardware and software for new forensic workspaces that did not exist on 275 Forest, fixtures common to police departments such as fortified cabinets and lockers for equipment and supplies, drug scales, hardware and software for access-alarm- systems (beyond the designed burglar and panic alarms), dispatcher console configuration to include network cable testing, rack installation, and monitor installation. Field Based Audio/Video ($75,000) POLICY IMPLICATIONS Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.28.080 requires a two-thirds vote by Council to accept the funds and amend the budget. The California Government Code would limit how SLES funds are redistributed. As with the acquisition of any goods or services by the City, the purchasing process will be subject to City purchasing policy manual as established in the municipal code under the direction of the Chief Procurement Officer. Any purchase that is surveillance technology is subject to provisions of the Municipal Code during the purchase process. Some of the proposed uses here are considered surveillance technology and will require a surveillance use policy approval by City Council, in accordance with the Palo Alto Municipal Code, prior to purchase, which will be brought forward separately. None of the proposed uses here are considered military equipment and subject to reporting according to AB 481. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT 5). Of this existing fund balance, $147,285 will be moved from the fund balance to revenues to bridge the gap between this year’s COPS revenue and expenses. There will be no impact to the General Fund as ongoing maintenance costs, if any, for the items purchased by the SLES Fund will be absorbed in the Department's existing budget, otherwise, the activities will stop when the SLES funds are spent in full. 5 City of Palo Alto FY 2023-2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Reporting beginning on page 122 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/administrative-services/financial-reporting/annual- comprehensive-financial-reports-acfr/current-2011-acfrs/city-of-palo-alto-acfr-single-audit-fy2024-final- unsercured.pdf STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW APPROVED BY: