|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
|
|
|
|
DATE:
|
September 17, 2009
|
BOARD MEETING DATE:
|
October 20, 2009
|
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:
|
None
|
VOTE REQUIRED:
|
4/5ths
|
|
|
TO:
|
Honorable Board of Supervisors
|
FROM:
|
Sheriff Greg Munks
|
SUBJECT:
|
FY 2009-10 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant
|
|
|
RECOMMENDATION:
|
A.
|
Adopt a Resolution:
|
1.
|
Accepting the FY 2009-10 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant award in the amount of $105,000 for the Forensic Laboratory; and
|
2.
|
Authorizing the Sheriff or Sheriff’s designee to execute all necessary documents in connection with the grant including but not limited to contracts, agreements, amendments, and grant assurances.
|
B.
|
Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) to accept grant revenue and establish a FY2009-10 appropriation of $105,000 in the Sheriffs Office for the expenditure of the grant.
|
|
|
BACKGROUND:
|
The Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory applied for and received funding in the amount of $105,000 for the federal FY 2009-10 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program. This funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. The funding period for this grant is October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010. This program provides funding to help improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science and medical examiner services. This includes assistance in eliminating a backlog in the analysis of forensic science evidence, including, among other things, a backlog with respect to firearms examination, latent prints, toxicology, controlled substances, forensic pathology, questions documents, and trace evidence. There is no matching requirement for this grant.
|
|
|
DISCUSSION:
|
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory plans to use funds from the FY 2009-10 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program to purchase and install an A.C.C.E.S.S. 500 Evidence Locker Unit and Management System. This pass-thru locker management system will revolutionize how evidence is exchanged and tracked by all the different sections of the forensic laboratory.
In addition to purchasing the Evidence Locker Unit, the Forensic Laboratory plans to use the remainder of the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement grant funding to renovate the existing structure in order to accommodate locker access from Property to every Laboratory analyst and vice versa.
With ease of access to evidence, the laboratory anticipates a reduction in turnaround time, and as a result, a reduction in the number of backlogged cases associated with the bottleneck created by the lack of the above listed equipment.
|
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution as to form.
Approval of this grant award contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Healthy Community by promoting safe neighborhoods and achieving seamless services within the Forensic Laboratory.
|
|
|
Performance Measure(s):
|
Measure
|
FY 2008-09
Actual
|
FY 2009-10
Projected
|
Average number of days between submission of a sample to the forensic science laboratory to the delivery of test results to a requesting office or agency
|
Chemistry: 9 days
Latent Prints: 165 days
Toxicology: 12 days
Trace: 41 days
Misc.: 88 days
|
Chemistry: 5 days
Latent Prints: 90 Days
Toxicology: 7 Days
Trace: 35 days
Misc.: 85 days
|
Number of backlogged forensic cases
|
Chemistry: 35 cases
Latent Prints: 750 cases
Toxicology: 100 case
Trace: 15 cases
Misc.: 50 cases
|
Chemistry: 25 cases
Latent Prints: 300 cases
Toxicology: 50 case
Trace: 10 cases
Misc.: 40 cases
|
|
|
FISCAL IMPACT:
|
The FY 2009-10 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant award is $105,000. There is no increase in the Net County Cost as a result of this transaction.
|