AGENDA #3

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Law Enforcement Block Grant Public Hearing

DATE: October 18, 2000

The purpose of this public hearing is to provide an opportunity for citizens to comment on the expenditures proposed for the 2000-2001 Law Enforcement Block Grant currently under consideration.

BACKGROUND

On October 2, 2000 the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Chapel Hill Police Department is eligible to receive $55,583 in block grant funds. A local match of $6,176 is required from the Town. The match would be provided through the department’s operating budget.

Grant funds are distributed by the Department of Justice only after three pre-requisites have been met. They are:

Ø An advisory board consisting of representatives from the local school system, the District Attorney’s office, the local court system and a community crime prevention group must review the grant application and make non-binding recommendations about the proposed uses of the grant funds.

Ø A public hearing must be held to provide citizens the opportunity to express their views on the proposed expenditures.

Ø The Town Council must authorize the acceptance of the grant.

DISCUSSION

This is the fourth consecutive year that the Department has been eligible for Block Grant funds. In the previous years the Department has spent Block Grant funds on items such as surveillance equipment for narcotics investigators, protective equipment for officers, audio/visual equipment for the training unit, computer software programs, and desktop computers.

The advisory board that has reviewed the previous grant applications has reviewed this year’s application and has unanimously supported the proposed expenditures. The advisory board members are: Community Watch Crimestoppers member Sandy Brownstein, East Chapel Hill High School principal Dave Thaden, Assistant District Attorney James Woodall and Chief District Court Judge Joe Buckner.

Any comments received from citizens tonight will be considered in preparing our final grant proposal for the Department of Justice. That proposal will be presented to the Council on October 23, 2000.

RECOMMENDATION

That the comments offered by citizens regarding the proposed expenditures in the 2000-2001 Law Enforcement Block Grant program be referred to the Manager for further review and consideration.