DATE:
September 16, 2025
TO:
LaTanya Bellow, City Manager
FROM:
Jeff Jennings, Police Chief
SUBJECT:
Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Authorizing The City Manager To Retroactively Accept And Expend A Grant From The State Of California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) To The Police Department In The Amount Of $39,955 For Reducing Youth Access To Alcohol And Other Purposes And Increase The FY25/26 Budget By $39,955 to Recognize the Grant Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution retroactively accepting a grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), in the amount of $39,955, to reimburse the Emeryville Police Department for staff time related to reducing youth access to alcohol, investigating alcohol retail sale violations, conducting bar compliance audits, and participating in community education/outreach and increase the FY25/26 Budget by $39,955 to recognize the grant.
Background
The goal of this grant is to allow the Emeryville Police Department (EPD) to identify and reduce problems associated with licensed alcohol beverage establishments in the city. There are 89 ABC licenses, both on-sale and off-sale premises, issued within the City of Emeryville. The ABC licenses consist of 72 active on-sale retail establishments and 17 active off-sale retail establishments.
There exists a significant number of bars and liquor stores in the city within close proximity to each other and traditional neighborhood uses which can result in higher calls for service and safety concerns by the community, including potential sales to underage individuals. EPD responds to numerous calls for service involving intoxicated persons who are unable to care for themselves, physical fights involving impaired individuals, and other offenses involving individuals who have been consuming alcohol.
EPD has established partnerships with many of the ABC licensed establishments in the City but the lack of ABC funding in recent years has led to a reduction in compliance checks and community outreach by the department. The goal of EPD is to work with these businesses through education, targeted enforcement, and reducing recidivism given the potential for youth to obtain and/or abuse alcohol within the city.
The following grant goals and objectives have been identified:
Conduct (4) Minor Decoy Operations
Conduct (4) Shoulder tap Operations
Conduct (4) Impact Inspections
Conduct (4) General Enforcement Operations
Participate in the statewide Annual Shoulder Tap Operation Send (2) officers to the 2025 APP Conference
Host (1) LEADS course at the Emeryville Police Department during the grant period, which will be advertised to local retailers who sell alcohol within the City of Emeryville Host (1) Trace training at the Emeryville Police Department Issue press releases outlining the grant operations and issue post-operation press releases to inform the public of the results of each operation Provide at least (2) roll call training on alcohol-related issues and ABE resources for sworn personnel during the grant period.
This grant funding will allow targeted prevention, education outreach, and enforcement efforts at identified ABC licensed establishments. Most of these funds will go towards overtime for the police officers/sergeant to conduct enforcement operations.
Additionally, staff will have the opportunity to attend training specific to alcohol offenses, thus increasing the overall training and professionalism of the staff.
The grant period is from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Discussion
The benefit of accepting this grant is that EPD will use the grant resources to enhance the efforts in curbing youth access to alcohol, reduce the number of impaired drivers, conduct compliance checks, and work with ABC licensees on improving training and awareness. The high number of hotels in Emeryville tends to attract youth, especially during annual high school events such as proms, graduations, and other occasions. Staff believe that increased and continued proactive enforcement of underage alcohol violations will have a positive impact on increasing safety within our community. Additionally, staff hope that this proactive program will help to reduce the number of alcohol-related offenses in the city.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact to the city will be the initial expenditure of overtime costs to conduct the various operations. However, since the ABC grant operates through a monthly reimbursement process, there will be no real impact to the budget. Some staff time will be required to administer the grant, but this is considered part of their normal duties. Due to this grant period running from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, the City’s expenditures will come from the department’s FY25/26 budget. The personnel costs will be submitted to ABC monthly. Depending on the specific dates of the overtime operations, reimbursements are anticipated to occur primarily during FY25/26.
EPD is requesting to increase both the revenues and expenditures. The revenue account (254-53650) should be adjusted to account for the increase of $39,955. The overtime expenditure account (254-71050) should be adjusted by $36,455 to accommodate for projected overtime expenditures. The operating supplies expenditure account (254-73500) should be adjusted by $500 to accommodate for equipment purchasing. The education and training expenditure account (254-84000) should be adjusted by $3,000 to accommodate projected personnel training.
Staff Communication with the Public
There has been no communication with the public. If this funding is accepted, there will be a targeted media campaign.
Conflict of Interest
None.
Conclusion
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to retroactively accept and expend a grant from the ABC to the Police Department in the amount of $39,955 for reducing youth access to alcohol and other purposes.
PREPARED BY: Pablo Rojas, Acting Lieutenant
Jeff Jennings, Chief of Police
Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
LaTanya Bellow, City Manager
Attachments
Draft Resolution
Exhibit A – Grant Agreement
ABC Grant Proposal
| September 16, 2025
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM