1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: May 21, 2024
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Mike Albanese, Police Chief
BY: Viviana Garzon, Police Administrator
Christine Alles, Fire Administrator
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of the 202 3 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant, and Any Future Amendments, Accepting $261,271 in Grant Funds, and Amending the Fiscal Year 2023 -24 Budget by Appropriating Funds
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE THE 20 23 URBAN AREA
SECURITY INITIATIVE (UASI) SUBAWARD AGREEMENT AND ANY FUTURE AMENDMENTS, ACCEPTING $ 261,271 IN 20 23 UASI GRANT FUNDS, AND AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2023-24 BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING FUNDS.
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through its Federal Emergency Management Agency Grants Program Directorate (DHS), is offering financial support to selected urban areas in the United States through the 2023 UASI Grant Program. This program is designed to address the distinctive requirements for equipment, training, planning, exercises, and operational needs of major urban areas. Its primary goal is to aid in the establishment of comprehensive and sustainable strategies to prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorism threats or incidents.
Under this program, states are allocated funds with the stipulation that a minimum of 80% of the total grant is sub-granted to the selected urban areas. Identified as a combined Tier 1 urban zone, the Cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach along with surrounding communities, have been awarded grant funding totaling $53,932,030. The administration POLICE
DEPARTMENT
2 of these funds will be overseen jointly by the S tate of California and the City of Los Angeles.
DISCUSSION
In partnership with the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association (LACPCA), the Burbank Police Department (BPD) aims to enhance its preparedness and response capabilities for critical incidents through a focused investment on equipment, software, and training. With a total grant allocation of $130,351, BPD’s initiatives are divided as follows:
• $31,170 will be allocated towards augmenting the BPD's field deployment capabilities with mobile incid ent command cases. These cases will be outfitted with cutting -edge technology including multi -touch screens, video, audio, and camera functions.
• $49,630 will continue the support of software solutions aimed at optimizing data sharing and analytics for investigative purposes.
• $32,600 will be allocated to provide officers with crisis negotiation and tactical training, ensuring they are equipped with the latest best practices in negotiation and crisis management.
• $16,951 wil l be used towards the purchase of 14 tactical helmets specifically tailored for tactical operations, further enhancing officer safety and operational effectiveness.
To address its goal of regional compatibility, the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association (LAAFCA) decided to continue to select projects that will improve the ability of multiple fire departments to work together on large incidents. As such, the Burbank Fire Department (BFD) will receive funds to address training needs to enhance BFD’s capability as a local and regional first responder . BFD operates a Hazardous Materials Response Program to mitigate incidents in Burbank and provide hazardous materials resources to other agencies through state, regional, and local automatic and mutual aid agreements. The program conforms with Firefighting Resources of California Organized for Potential Emergencies (FIRESCOPE) Standards and complies with requirements from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to qualify as a Type 1 regional resource. BFD will receive a total of $130,920 in grant funds, which will be used towards expenses related to courses for Hazardous Materials Technician and Specialist training, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive training (CBRNE), Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training, and Assistant Safety Officer training.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This grant will provide training and equipment and has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical 3 change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
This is a reimbursement grant and will not require any matching funds from the City. Staff is requesting Council authority to amend the FY 202 3/24 Budget by accepting $261,271 in 2023 UASI Grant Program funds and amending the FY 2023/24 budget to appropriate the funds as follows:
BPD’s budget will be amended to appropriate $130,351 from revenue account number 001.PD000.48010.1085.25009.00000 (General Fund, Police Department General, Other Intergovernmental Revenue, UASI Urban Area Security Federal, 2023 UASI) to the following expenditure account:
• $130,351 to 001.PD01A.62300.0000.2 5009.00000 (General Fund, Police Department – Patrol Division, Special Department Supplies, 2023 UASI).
BFD’s budget will be amended to appropriate $130,920 from revenue account number 001.FD000.48010.1085.25010.00000 (General Fund, Fire Department General, Other Intergovernmental Revenue, UASI Urban Area Security Federal, UASI 2023 ) to the following expenditure account:
• $130,920 to 001.FD02A.62300.0000.25010.00000 (General Fund, Fire Department – Suppression, Special Departmental Supplies, UASI 2023).
Funds will initially be drawn from 001.ND000.30010.0000.00000 (General Fund, Non- Departmental Unassigned Fund Balance) until reimbursed.
With Council approval, the City Manager or his designee will have the authority to accept additional contingency funding that may be allocat ed by the City of Los Angeles to the City of Burbank, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the UASI grant agreement. Any supplemental contingency funding allocated would further support equipment and/or training needs within the Hazardous Materials program, as well as the Urban Search and Rescue and Active Shooter Hos tile Event programs . These funds would further support equipment and/or training needs aimed at enhancing police response capabilities. Supplemental contingency funding is typically made available when there are unspent funds across all participating juris dictions within the 2023 UASI grant period.
CONCLUSION
Approving the 2023 UASI grant agreement will significantly advance the objective of regional coordination and training, thereby bolstering BPD’s ability to respond to and intercept emerging threats and critical incidents with greater efficacy. These strate gic 4 investments represent a concerted effort by BPD to enhance its overall capabilities, ensuring a proactive and efficient response to critical incidents not only within the Burbank community but also in collaboration with regional partners. Additionally, this grant will increase BFD’s capacity to collaborate with multiple fire departments during larger incidents, thereby strengthening overall response capabilities.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – 2023 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Program Subaward Agreement between the City of Los Angeles and the City of Burbank