COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

SHERIFF’S OFFICE

DATE:

November 21, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 12, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Don Horsley, Sheriff

SUBJECT:

Memoranda of Understanding with: 1) the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (NC HIDTA); and 2) the Northern California Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center (NC RTTAC), for the County employees assigned to HIDTA and RTTAC, and for related services.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with: 1) the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (NC HIDTA); and 2) the Northern California Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center (NC RTTAC), to provide for the County’s assignment of employees and provision of related services and payment for said employees and services.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government

Goal: 22 County and local governments effectively communicate, collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire County.

These two MOU’s reflect a collaboration to implement a strategic approach to an issue affecting the entire County.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2005-06
Actual

FY 2006-07
Target

Number of arrests made annually by NC HIDTA funded initiatives

412

412

Number of cases submitted to the District Attorney’s Office (Investigations only)

1,516

1,525

BACKGROUND:

Since 1997, the HIDTA program has provided a stable a source of federal funding to combat high intensity drug trafficking. The Northern California HIDTA coordinates the expenditure of federal funds as well as state funding for a variety of narcotics eradication initiatives.

In 2004, a Department of Homeland Security Law Enforcement Grant was awarded to the County to create and operate the Northern California Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center (NC RTTAC), to develop collaborative relationships among federal, state, and local entities relative to terrorism, specifically with regard to the disciplines of law, fie, public health and emergency medical services, to improve terrorism preparedness and information sharing.

The NC RTTAC was co-located with HIDTA whereby HIDTA’s Administration manages NC HIDTA and NC RTTAC programs. The scope of overall activities of HIDTA and RTTAC encompass ten Northern California counties, and the various law enforcement Initiatives and task forces coordinated and partially funded by HIDTA and RTTAC involve the efforts of over 200 law enforcement officers and staff, spread across several dozen local, state and federal agencies in those ten counties.

However, while HIDTA is a separate entity with a dedicated source of funds, it is not a separate agency with independent financial or administrative status. Therefore, since 1997, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has served as the lead administrative agency for the NC HIDTA as well as the NC RTTAC, and in that capacity receives, deposits and disburses HIDTA and RTTAC funding at the direction of the HIDTA Executive Committee. As well, from time to time, the Sheriff serves as Chair of the NC HIDTA Executive Committee.

DISCUSSION:

The NC HIDTA and NC RTTAC are staffed by a combination of independent contractors, and employees assigned to HIDTA or RTTAC by their employing law enforcement agencies. Member law enforcement agencies are reimbursed with HIDTA funds for the salary of each employee assigned to the NC HIDTA and NC RTTAC.

The Sheriff’s Office has six positions that are assigned to HIDTA and four positions assigned to RTTAC. These include an unclassified Captain who serves as HIDTA’s and RTTAC’s Executive Director, a Sheriff’s Lieutenant who serves as Assistant to the Director, a finance officer, a lead analyst, and six crime/intelligence analysts. In addition, the County provides other related services to HIDTA and RTTAC, including insurance, legal services, purchasing, administrative, and telephone services.

These MOU’s document and provide for the County’s services to HIDTA and NC RTTAC, and for HIDTA’s and NC RTTAC’s reimbursements to the County for those employees and service costs.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the MOUs as to legal form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

With one exception, the complete position costs of all employees, as well as of all the related services the County provides to HIDTA and NC RTTAC, are fully reimbursed by HIDTA and NC RTTAC. The exception is for the NC HIDTA Executive Director position, and it is the result of a federal limit on the amount of HIDTA funds that may be used to pay for the salary and benefits of a HIDTA Executive Director. This limit is approximately $38,000 below the cost of a Sheriff’s Captain, resulting in a County obligation of $38,000, which is included within the Sheriff’s Office recommended annual budget. As the HIDTA/RTTAC Director interacts with and coordinates program policies and activities at the level of Bay Area Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, and senior federal and state officials in the Bay Area Region, the rank of Sheriff’s Captain is appropriate and commensurate with the HIDTA Director’s job duties.