Okaloosa County BOCC — 2013 meeting #1141 (date undetermined) — Byrne Grant 7-16 — reading text

OKALOOSA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: DISTRICT: BACKGROUND: -AGENDA REQUEST- HONORABLE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CATHERINE WHITE, DRUG COURT MANAGER JULY 10, 2013 FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2013 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM - JAG COUNTY WIDE — STATE SOLICITATION ALL The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program —JAG Countywide - State Solicitation, has allocated $75,150 to Okaloosa County to be used by local units of government. The JAG funds may be used by local units of government for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department, Crestview Police Department, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Shalimar Police Department, Valparaiso Police Department, Judge Ben Gordon, Jr. Family Visitation Center, and Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center were the agencies selected to receive funds from this grant. The applicants are required to submit their grant application on-line by July 24, 2013, and submit two original fully executed grant applications to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by August 2, 2013. I am requesting approval to submit the following grant applications: I. Okaloosa County Sheriff’?s Department $13,155 The Okaloosa County Sheriff's The rise in violence against law enforcement officers nationally and locally require additional measures to protect law enforcement officers in high-risk situations, such as warrant service, fugitive apprehension, and SWAT activities. This project will acquire Level TV Armor Plates that will protect deputies against direct fire up to caliber .30-06 and 7.62 mm armor-piercing rifle ammunition. The armor plates will be used as inserts with individual flexible armor shields issued for deployment during active shooter operations. The project will also acquire a Currency Scanner which will scan paper currency and logs the serial number. Recording serial numbers is necessary for inventory and evidentiary purposes. The device also flags currency that has targeted serial numbers, such as bills used to purchase contraband (guns, narcotics, stolen goods, etc.). III. Judge Ben Gordon, Jr. Family Visitation Center $10,097 The Judge Ben Gordon, Jr. Family Visitation Center serves and protects child victims of abuse, as well as serves adult and child victims of domestic violence. The Center offers victims a safe and neutral environment with flexible scheduling within which to conduct supervised visitation and monitored exchanges. Safety is provided for victims of domestic violence by facilitating court-ordered visitation and monitored exchanges for the victims, sparing them any contact with their victimizer. Children are served by the Center by giving them an advocate and by maintaining a safe and secure place to visit without fear of exposure to emotional and/or physical harm. In order to address the impacts of child physical and sexual abuse, child neglect and abandonment, and domestic violence, this program strives to have an understanding of the dynamics of child abuse and exposure to violence, as well as the factors that determine the severity of a child’s response to this violence. Intervention and program services must be unique to the child’s situation. It has been suggested that programs that support parenting and the parent-child relationship while addressing the safety of the non-abusing caregiver have positive effects on a child’s ability to move forward after suffering the crises of family violence. Approved funding will be used to assist the Center in providing a safe, supervised visitation and monitored exchange services to children who have been the victim of or who have witnessed acts of violence. IV. Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center $10,097 The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center provides services to child victims of physical and sexual abuse. The Center integrates a multi- disciplinary approach to child abuse cases working with law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection team, mental health and Department of Children and Families. The team works collaboratively to identify services for the child victims and their families as well as holding offenders accountable. One of the services provided is mental health counseling. The program is designed to respond effectively to children by providing immediate access to mental health counseling to include crisis and long term counseling. Current Byrne grant funding provided an opportunity for the Center to expand the program to include an additional therapist to meet the increased demand for services. The FY 2013 Byrne grant funds will allow the Center to continue the Center’s crime victim program. Other funding sources have been identified in addition to this request to continue the expansion of the mental health program. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners takes the following actions: A. Approval of the following grants: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department $13,155 Judge Ben Gordon, Jr. Family Visitation Center $10,097 Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center $10,097 B. Authorize Contracts & Grants to submit the on-line grant applications and the Chairman, as the County’s representative, to sign the subgrant applications, amendments, 51% letter of support of the distribution of grant funds or other related documents as may be required during the term of the grant. RECOMMENDED BY: a Hon Ae) te Cattiérine A. White Drug Court Manager Court Administration