Issue Statement:  The City of Oakland Park, with Pompano Beach as Lead Agency, was awarded $16,696.80 under the 2019 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Actual expenditures related to the grant are initially incurred by BSO, which is then to be reimbursed by the City, which is the recipient of the grant funding.  BSO has requested the City approve a funding agreement to provide the mechanism for this reimbursement.

Recommended Action:  City Commission A) Adopt a resolution authorizing the appropriate City staff to enter into an agreement with BSO for 2019 JAG grant funding; B) Authorize reimbursement to BSO for the funds utilized in overtime under the 2019 JAG grant.

AGENCY:  Broward Sheriff's Office - City of Oakland Park District.

PROJECT NAME:  Youth and Community Outreach, Safety and Crime Prevention Program.

GOALS:

• Deter youth crime through interaction, mentoring, and education.

• For the implementation of community action plans for the purpose of crime prevention, community relations safety programs, promoting safety in the neighborhoods, parks and business areas.

• Increase the visibility and working relationship with the City recreation facilities, with community action plans targeting youth.

• Expand law enforcement’s positive/role model interaction with the City’s youth who may already be offenders in the justice system. Focus on at risk youth who are believed to be capable of turning around their criminal behavior and getting back on the right track to becoming positive and productive citizens.

OBJECTIVES / STRATEGIES:

• Increase patrol and community interaction with deputies and community service aids/community service investigative aids at parks and community events.

   

• Implement crime prevention strategies.

• Deter our youth from criminal activity, educate public on crime trends and drug awareness/education and distribute poster, brochures and other educational material at parks, homeowner’s meetings and at schools.

IDENTIFIERS:

• Overtime
• Crime Prevention

• Community Policing
• Prevention – Delinquency

   

The City of Oakland Park is one of the older municipalities in Broward County and was originally chartered as the Town of Floranada, in December 1925. In August 2000, the City of Oakland Park contracted with the Broward Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services for its residents. The City has undergone several changes as a result of hurricanes, property booms and residents relocating in search of better opportunities and prosperity within the City, and boasts of a notable recreation program, its own excellent library and expansive parks.  The City currently has a population of 44,360 full time residents. The proposed expenditures of this grant would be for the purpose of crime prevention, crime reduction initiatives, youth and community education and enforcement in the City of Oakland Park.

PROJECT NARRATIVE:

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: (Description of the Issue)

Funding from 2019 JAG would be utilized by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Oakland Park District (BSO) in accordance with the City’s contract with BSO. Specifically, Broward Sheriff’s Office Oakland Park District intends to use this grant to fund crime prevention and youth safety education and operations through overtime and purchase of crime prevention and youth and community safety education materials (pamphlets, coloring books, etc.). Like many municipalities, Oakland Park requires assistance to combat criminal activity within its borders and preventing the various crime trends from impacting residents and visitors quality of life.  The primary focus will be on public safety and crime prevention education, as well as efforts to increase interaction with the community’s youth to reduce youth delinquency.

PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION:

2019 Byrne-JAG funding will be utilized to: increase patrol and youth and community interaction with law enforcement at parks, attend homeowner’s meetings and other community events, implement crime prevention strategies, deter our youth from criminal activity, educate the public on crime trends and drug awareness/education and distribute safety and crime prevention educational materials at parks, homeowner’s meetings, schools and other community events and gatherings. Additionally, resources will be dedicated to creating positive circumstances where youth may interact with law enforcement in a non-confrontational and collegial manner.

CAPABILITIES and COMPETENCIES:

Law enforcement partnerships with Broward County School Board, Juvenile Justice, Juvenile State Attorney's Office, Juvenile Probation, Juvenile Judges, BSO Juvenile Services, Homeowner associations, as well as the City’s Parks and Leisure Services Department are all fundamentals to ensuring success of meeting the programs goals. Overtime will be utilized to pay law enforcement (deputies, community service aids/community service investigative aids) to leverage opportunities to interact with the community and its youth in a positive manner and conveying messages that promote crime prevention, community safety and youth guidance.

PLAN for COLLECTING the DATA:

The City of Pompano Beach will have the responsibility of administering the grant, funds disbursement and all required recordkeeping. The City of Pompano Beach, with the assistance of the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s Oakland Park District staff, will provide the DOJ with a quarterly report outlining program expenses and the allocation of resources within the City of Oakland Park.

At no additional cost to the City, 2019 JAG funding will be utilized for increased patrol and community interaction with deputies and community service aids/community service investigative aids at parks and community events, implement crime prevention strategies, deter our youth from criminal activity, educate public on crime trends and drug awareness/education and secure and distribute posters and brochures at parks, homeowner's meetings and schools.

From the total grant funding, the City of Oakland Park agrees to contribute 10% of JAG funding for BSO administration and management of this award, and set aside 3% to replace the UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting) Program. The UCR Program is managed by the FBI and is the underlying Summary Reporting System being replaced by the new National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) effective FY 2021.  The 3% being set-aside is a program requirement for this year and the funding from all successful applicants will be used to assist state and local jurisdictions in working toward compliance, to ensure they continue to have critical criminal justice funding available through JAG when SRS is replaced by NIBRS in FY 2021. 

City Commission A) Adopt a resolution authorizing the appropriate City staff to enter into an agreement with BSO for 2019 JAG grant funding; B) Authorize reimbursement to BSO for the funds utilized in overtime under the 2019 JAG grant.