CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
January 9, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: James Makshanoff, City Manager
Submitted By: Andrew Mowbray, Finance Director/City Treasurer Michael Ellis, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF CONTRACT TO INSTITUTE FOR ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATING TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CALIFORNIA VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION GRANT (CALVIP) RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Approve a two-and-a-half-year agreement with Institute for Ecological Civilization in the amount not to exceed $458,000 for technical assistance relating to the implementation of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant (CalVIP); and, Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement and any extensions, subsequent changes or amendments thereto, on behalf of the City, subject to review and approval as to form by the City Attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Institute for Ecological Civilization proposes to contract with the City of Pomona for a two-and-a-half-year agreement from January 2023 through June 2025, to provide the services of Stewart Wakeling, retired California Partnership for Safe Communities (CPSC) staff member and expert consultant on violence prevention. Based on the proposal (Attachment 1), total contract amount shall not exceed $458,000. Mr. Wakeling, through Institute for Ecological Civilization will be providing technical assistance such as co-project management, development and oversight of partnership-based, focused deterrence strategy, orientation and training, peer technical assistance and study visits regarding Office of Violence Prevention and Neighborhood Wellbeing (OVP) development, intervention and case management, and overall implementation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this contract is available in the CalVIP Fund (188-0900-52285-00000) in the amount of $433k and the remaining $25k will be a match funded from the General Fund (101-xxxx-52285-00000).
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On July 18, 2022, the City Council accepted and appropriated $5,144,940 of California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant (CalVIP).
DISCUSSION:
On June 9, 2022, the City of Pomona was notified by the Board of State and Community Corrections of an award amounting to $5,144,940 through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program Funds. The Pomona Partnership for Violence Prevention and Neighborhood Wellbeing will work to reduce violence in the City of Pomona by establishing an Office of Violence Prevention and Neighborhood Wellbeing (OVP) to coordinate all activities. The Pomona OVP will; 1) serve an estimated 150 individuals in Pomona who are at highest risk of involvement in violent crime and the community members most directly affected through street outreach, community stakeholder engagement, cognitive behavioral therapy, diversion, employment/job resources, intensive case management, mental health services, and mentoring/credible messengers; 2) improve social cohesion in key areas most impacted by violence through collective efficacy including neighborhood building activities; and, 3) strengthen community-police relations through group violence intervention/focused deterrence, principled policing training, direct support of families affected by violence, and the creation of a high impact Violence Prevention Team of officers in the police department specially trained in focused deterrence, procedural justice, reconciliation, homicide prevention, arrest reduction, and youth diversion.
The grant and the grant budget specify a series of roles to be carried out by community-based organizations (CBO’s). Stewart Wakeling, through Institute for Ecological Civilization, and a retired member of CPSC, and expert consultant on violence prevention, will be providing technical assistance in implementing the CalVIP grant.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS: This item supports the 2021 City Council Priority No. 4 – Safe and Clean Community; Goal N – Take actions to eliminate prostitution, human trafficking, and gang related violence.
ALTERNATIVE(S): None
Prepared by:
Andrew Mowbray
Finance Director/City Treasurer
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment 1 – Institute for Ecological Civilization
Proposal and Scope of Work: Stewart Wakeling
Award Contract to Institute for Ecological Civilization