Dear Chief James Beere,
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office intends to apply for the FY2025 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Local program on behalf of the eligible cities within Alameda County and the County itself. This effort represents the twenty-first (21st) consecutive year of securing this funding to support our respective agencies. The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) consolidated the Byrne Memorial Grant Program and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) Program in 2004 to establish the JAG Program.
The federal JAG program is divided into two allocations: state and local. While the state allocation may be distributed at the state’s discretion, the local allocation is awarded to eligible units of local government in predetermined amounts. Alameda County qualifies for a total allocation of $719,449.00 in FY2025 JAG Local funds. These funds may be used to support a range of activities, including local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, information systems for criminal justice, and research or evaluation efforts that enhance law enforcement programs.
The USDOJ timeline for submitting the FY2025 JAG Local application is shorter than typical, though slightly extended compared to last year due to delays associated with the government shutdown and furloughs. An additional delay resulted from consultation with County Counsel regarding the Certifications and Assurances, particularly as they relate to immigration provisions and 34 U.S.C. § 10145(d)(4). The application must be submitted to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) no later than April 28, 2025. To meet this deadline, I respectfully request that your agency provide all required information and signed documents by Thursday, April 23, 2025. Failure to submit a complete application by the deadline will result in forfeiture of funding.
BJA has established joint application groups that consolidate certain jurisdictions. Alameda County’s joint application group includes the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, San Leandro, and Union City, along with the County of Alameda. The cities of Albany, Dublin, Piedmont, and Pleasanton are not eligible for FY2025 JAG Local funding, as they do not meet the federal population and crime rate criteria. BJA requires that only one application be submitted per group, representing all eligible members. Accordingly, we will once again apply as a consortium.
We have developed a proposal that allows all eligible members to receive their allocated share of the award, including a realignment of the disparate jurisdictions of Alameda County and Oakland with a realigned percentage. The attached estimated allocation reflects each member’s federally determined share, less a 10% administrative fee to support the Sheriff’s Office’s responsibilities for grant administration, application preparation, financial management, and auditing. Your support of this proposal will ensure continued access to JAG funding for participating agencies.
As part of this process, we have prepared an addendum to the annually renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), along with the required federal Certification of Compliance. Both documents must be signed by your agency’s Chief Executive Officer (City Manager/City Administrator) prior to the release of funds. To facilitate timely submission, these documents are attached and will also be presented at the next Alameda County Chiefs of Police and Sheriff’s Association (ACCOPSA) meeting. We respectfully request that signed copies (color-scanned, with blue-ink signatures preferred) be returned no later than Thursday, April 23, 2025.
Additionally, please provide a brief paragraph describing your agency’s intended use of FY2025 JAG Local funds, along with your budget worksheet, within the next week. For your reference, a copy of your FY2024 JAG Local request and budget worksheet format is included as the final attachment.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need assistance.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Sincerely,
Kathy Martins
FSO – Grants Manager