CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: September 3, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Eric Levitt, City Manager;
Darren Goodman, Chief of Police
Department: Police
Subject: Acceptance of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Grant Award
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California (“City”) adopt Resolution No. 2025-365 authorizing:
1. The acceptance of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Grant Award; and
2. The amendment of the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 adopted Budget in both revenue and expenditures by $200,000.
Executive Summary
The San Bernardino Police Department (“PD”) is participating in a region-wide effort to establish a fusion center that will be located at the PD and serve both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. The purpose of the fusion center will be to facilitate information sharing between Federal, state, local, tribal, and other public safety or private partners to detect, prevent, and respond to terrorism, crime, and other hazards or catastrophes that threaten the security of the Inland Empire Region. The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (“Tribe”) has awarded the PD at $200,000 grant (“Grant”) to support the establishment of the fusion center.
Background
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the 911 Commission was established to assess the circumstances or failures surrounding the attacks and to identify ways to guard against future terrorist attacks. Among the problems identified was a lack of information sharing between Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at multiple levels with an incomplete understanding of the threat landscape; and resulted in a failure to detect and disrupt the terrorist attacks in the planning stages.
The 911 Commission recommended increased information sharing between intelligence and law enforcement agencies at all levels through the fusion center concept. This recommendation was implemented through the establishment of
regional fusion centers to serve as focal points for information sharing between Federal, state, local, and tribal public safety partners.
Since that time, a network of 80 unique fusion centers have been established across the nation, each controlled and operated at the state or local level with the ability to tailor their operations to meet the needs of the areas they serve. In recent years, the mission of many fusion centers has expanded from a narrow focus on information sharing regarding terrorism to include other criminal activity and hazards that threaten public safety and homeland security. The expanded “All threats, All Hazards” model for fusion center operations has resulted in participation from organizations beyond law enforcement including fire, emergency management, public health, education, and private sector partners. The public is also encouraged to participate through suspicious activity reporting, most commonly recognized as the “See Something, Say Something” campaign.
In 2006, the Joint Regional Information Center (“JRIC”) was established as the fusion center responsible for the seven Southern California Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside. Orange County broke away from that group to establish its own fusion center in 2007 to better serve the public safety needs of Orange County. Since that time, JRIC has continued to operate on behalf of the remaining six counties; and its area of responsibility is one of the fastest-growing and most populous regions of the country.
The terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center on December 2, 2015, generated an interest among law enforcement leaders in the Inland Empire to establish a fusion center to serve the Inland Empire. The idea gained momentum in 2022 when the Riverside Urban Area Security Initiative (“Riverside UASI”) allocated Homeland Security grant funding for a project to establish a regional fusion center to serve San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. The fusion center project has been making progress since that time and has evolved into what is now known as the Safety and Tribal Regional Analysis Center (“STRAC”), which will eventually become the 81st recognized fusion center in the nation.
Discussion
The PD participates in the Riverside UASI program. The has a vested interest in working to prevent any future terrorist attacks that may jeopardize the safety of the City, its residents, and the business community. The more recent domestic terrorism attack in Palm Springs has only confirmed there is an ongoing need to continue the effort to prevent terrorism of all kinds. The PD recognizes this need and has taken an active role in the development of the STRAC fusion center. That active role has enabled the PD to bring the STRAC to the PD and co-locate it at the PD.
Fusion centers across the country serve as information-sharing points and have been involved in the identification of multiple terrorist and major criminal incidents in the planning stages, allowing law enforcement to respond before they occur. Whether the disruption of terrorist and criminal activities is reported in the media or goes unnoticed,
many cases share a common factor of beginning with information that was obtained or developed through a fusion center. Not only do fusion centers play a role in the origination of terrorism and criminal cases; but they also support ongoing investigations at the Federal, state, local, and tribal levels. Fusion centers are recognized as valuable tools to support multiple public safety missions, but the number of fusion centers is low in relation to the need, so they are coveted resources as public safety agencies plan for the future. STRAC will be a much-needed resource for the region and its location in San Bernardino will allow the PD to make the maximum use of the resources it can provide.
STRAC will serve as the primary intelligence and information exchange center for the two-county Inland Empire Region. It will evaluate information to recognize signs of safety threats and track information or incidents that, when viewed together as a whole, may demonstrate an emerging threat to the Inland Empire. When appropriate, STRAC will route information about criminal or terrorism activity to the appropriate public safety agency. It will also support local fire and emergency management operations during disaster responses by facilitating the gathering of vital public safety intelligence, enabling public safety leaders to make more informed decisions and craft better response plans. Beyond these operations, STRAC will also develop information on public safety trends to educate first responders about the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by criminals and terrorist actors; giving them the knowledge they need to better identify, disrupt, or respond to terrorism and criminal acts.
The bulk of STRAC’s operating expenses will be paid through Riverside UASI grant funds. UASI funds will be applied to hiring personnel to staff the STRAC, purchase equipment, cover overhead costs such as utilities and office supplies, and provide training to STRAC personnel. Riverside County is supplementing the costs to operate STRAC with the contribution of Homeland Security grant funds allocated to Riverside County that will also be used to hire personnel and cover operating and equipment costs. The Tribe has an active interest in STRAC and has supported the development of STRAC throughout its progress. Through this Grant, the Tribe is providing additional financial support to cover costs related to minor building modifications to accommodate STRAC, the purchase of additional equipment and furniture, and the lease of copy machines. The PD will be responsible to complete the Grant project in compliance with Grant terms within a 12-month period.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
The request to authorize the receipt and expenditure of grant funds aligns with:
Key Target No. 1c. Improved Operational and Financial Capacity - implement, maintain, and update a fiscal accountability plan.
Key Target No. 3c. Improved Quality of Life –Constantly evaluate public safety service delivery models to enhance the quality of service.
Fiscal Impact
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California (“City”) adopt Resolution No. 2025-365 authorizing:
1. The acceptance of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Grant Award; and
2. The amendment of the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 adopted Budget in both revenue and expenditures by $200,000.
Attachments
1. Attachment 1 Resolution 2025-365 - STRAC Grant Award
2. Attachment 2 Grant Agreement
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
December 4, 2024: The Mayor and City Council approved the memorandum of agreement (“MOU”) (3rd amendment) with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for the funding of officers to provide police services to the service areas identified in the agreement, and to provide additional services as identified.
January 1, 2021: The Mayor and City Council approved the MOU (2nd amendment) with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for the funding of four police officers to provide police services to the service areas identified in the agreement, and to provide additional services as identified. August 7, 2019: The Mayor and City Council approved the 1st amendment to the San Manuel Community Credit Fund Restricted Grant Agreement. October 1, 2017: The Mayor and City Council approved an agreement between the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for funding for police services under the San Manuel Community Credit Fund Restricted Grant Agreement.
FINANCIAL
DATA
Current Fiscal Year: Next Fiscal Year: Total Cost: Ongoing Cost:
COST $ 200,000 $ 0.00 $ 200,000 $ 0.00
GENERAL
FUND
SHARE
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
Tribe Grant in the amount of $200,000.
Budget Adjustment:
Yes
For Fiscal Year: 25/26