Title
Resolution - A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager and the Police Department to make Application Under the Fiscal Year 2012 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program (CHP) for Funding for Four (4) Full-Time Police Officer Positions (25% Cash Match)
Requested Action
Adopt the attached Resolution
Recommendation
Approval of Resolution
Application deadline for this grant is 7:59PM, EDT, on March 22, 2012.
Description/History
The CHP is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies having primary law enforcement authority to impact their community policing capacity and problem solving efforts.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is pleased to announce that it will soon open the application update period for the 2012 COPS Hiring Program (CHP). Approximately $111 million will be available under fiscal year (FY) 2012 CHP for the award of grant funding directly to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority to increase their community policing capacity, problem solving and crime prevention efforts through the hiring and rehiring of full-time sworn law enforcement officers.
Due to the limited funding that is available this year, only those applicants that submitted applications for funding under the 2011 CHP will be considered for funding under 2012 CHP. The City of Mansfield submitted an application last year under 2011 CHP, but did not receive funding. Our application was placed in a “pending” status, and carried forward into FY 2012 in anticipation of additional hiring funds being made available. In March, Mansfield will be invited to submit targeted updates to our application so that our funding request can be evaluated in FY 2012 based on current data.
Several important changes have been made to CHP this fiscal year. 2012 CHP grants will cover up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salary and benefits for three years (36 months) for newly hired, full-time sworn officer positions (including filling existing unfunded vacancies) or for rehired officers who have been laid off, or are scheduled to be laid off on a specific future date, as a result of local budget cuts. A minimum 25 percent local cash match is therefore required this year. Under 2012 CHP, there is also a maximum federal contribution of $125,000 per position over the three-year grant period. Another important change this year is that if our agency is awarded funding for a new hire, the newly hired officer must be a military veteran who served on active duty for a period of at least 180 days, any part of which occurred on or after September 11, 2001.
In addition to the above-referenced changes, applicants must retain all sworn officer positions awarded under the CHP grant with state and/or local funds for a minimum of 12 months following the conclusion of the three-year grant period. Applicants must also use awarded CHP funding to supplement (increase) state, local, and/or Bureau of Indian Affairs funds that otherwise would have been dedicated to sworn officer positions in the absence of the grant.
Justification
The increase of four (4) officers under the grant will provide an increased number of officers providing protection to the citizens of the City of Mansfield while the federal government is providing partial funding.
Funding Source
City of Mansfield would be responsible for a 25% cash match in the first 2-years, then 100% of salaries and benefits for years 3 and 4.
See attached spread sheet which contains a full explanation of funding.
Prepared By
Gary L. Fowler, Chief of Police, Mansfield Police Department
817-276-4723