COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

SHERIFF’S OFFICE

DATE:

October 7, 2010

BOARD MEETING DATE:

October 19, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

4/5ths

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Greg Munks

SUBJECT:

FY 2010 The Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women Program

RECOMMENDATION:

A.

Adopt a Resolution:

1.

Accepting the FY 2010 The Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women Program grant in the amount of $675,000; and

2.

Authorizing the Sheriff or Sheriff’s designee to execute all necessary documents in connection with the grant including but not limited to agreements, amendments, and grant assurances.

B.

Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) in the amount of $675,000 from Unanticipated Revenue to various accounts for the expenditure of the grant. (4/5ths vote required)

C.

Adopt an ordinance amending the salary ordinance to add one unclassified Deputy Sheriff position.

BACKGROUND:

The FY 2010 The Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women Program, through the US Department of Justice, recognizes that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are crimes that require the criminal justice system to hold offenders accountable for their actions through investigation, arrest, and prosecution of violent offenders, and through close judicial scrutiny and management of offender behavior.

This program requires criminal justice agencies to collaborate among themselves and in meaningful partnership with nonprofit, nongovernmental sexual assault and domestic violence programs, to ensure that victim safety is a paramount consideration in the development of any strategy to address these crimes.

DISCUSSION:

Acceptance of the FY 2010 The Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women Program grant will assist in establishing the San Mateo County Domestic Violence Firearms Compliance and Legal Advocacy (FCLA) Program. The program will serve to increase victim safety and offender accountability through firearms compliance and provide legal advocacy services to victims in the County.

Acceptance of this grant will allow for the collaboration of the Sheriff’s Office, CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse), Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal), and Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County to: 1) systematically and fully enforce California’s gun laws pertaining to restrained parties; 2) improve the seamlessness of the continuum of services; 3) strengthen legal advocacy for each victim by providing early and continuing information, advocacy and support; and 4) increase batterer accountability by enhancing opportunities for reporting and prosecuting domestic violence crimes.

This will be accomplished by assigning one unclassified Deputy Sheriff (Detective) to track, investigate and enforce Domestic Violence Protective Court Orders directing seizure and storage of firearms surrendered or confiscated from persons subject to court ordered firearms prohibition. CORA will provide victim-centered services to victims of domestic violence who are seeking civil restraining orders and/or who are witnesses in criminal domestic violence prosecutions. BayLegal will provide education on the Domestic Violence Prevention Act (DVPA) restraining order action process. Legal Aid will provide coordination for pro bono representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking seeking civil restraining orders.

The grant award is for an amount totaling $675,000 over a two year period commencing October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2012. The Salary Ordinance will add one (1) unclassified Deputy Sheriff (Detective) position which will be fully funded by the grant. Grant funding will also be used for contracted services provided by CORA, BayLegal and Legal Aid.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Resolution and Ordinance as to form.

Approval of this grant award contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Healthy Community by ensuring victim safety and offender accountability.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Measures

FY 2010-11
Target

FY 2011-12
Target

Restraining orders received / reviewed by Detective assigned to the FCLA Program

615

1,053

Firearms seized or surrendered from restrained parties

35

60

Note: The FY 2010-11 Target Measures are based on a seven (7) month period (December 2010 to June 2011) since the added Deputy Sheriff position will not be effective until 30 days following the adoption of the salary ordinance amendment.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The FY 2010 The Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women grant award is for the amount of $675,000, for a two year period commencing October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2012. The grant does not require any matching County funds. There is no Net County Cost.