CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 6 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-5112 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Police Department
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2024
SUBJECT:
Domestic Violence Co-Response Advocate Program – Memorandum of Understanding RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of San Mateo and City of Daly City for the Domestic Violence Co-Response Advocate program for a two-year term; and authorize the Chief of Police to execute the agreement in substantially the form presented.
BACKGROUND:
Domestic violence remains a critical issue within our community, necessitating enhanced response strategies that provide immediate support to victims. Recognizing this need, the San Mateo Police Department has sought to establish a partnership with the County of San Mateo and the City of Daly City, where the County of San Mateo will contract with the local non-profit organization, Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA), which specializes in services for survivors of domestic violence, to create the DV Co-Response (CORE) Advocate Program. This program will introduce a DV CORE Advocate to work alongside police officers to offer immediate, on-scene support services to domestic violence survivors, enhancing the overall response to these incidents, and interrupting what often becomes a repeating cycle of violence.
The program will embed an advocate at the San Mateo Police Department. The advocate will partner with officers and related service providers to optimally address every reported incident of domestic violence. The advocate will respond in tandem with San Mateo police officers to related incidents, and once officers ensure the scene is safe, the advocate will respond to the scene. The advocate will work together with officers to assess the overall scene, as well as the needs of the survivor and connect the individual with the appropriate service providers and resources. The advocate will also provide on-going training to the San Mateo Police Department to enhance officer response and overall community prioritization and support for this important issue.
The DV CORE Advocate program will have the following goals:
Goal 1 – Law enforcement staff and DV Co-Responder respond to active domestic violence calls for service.
Goal 2 – DV Co-Responders provide consultation, training, and support to law enforcement personnel in the field Goal 3 – DV Co-Responders increase knowledge of effective strategies to support survivors of domestic violence and their families.
Goal 4 – DV Co-Responders increase access to resources for survivors of domestic violence and their families.
Goal 5 – Law enforcement strengthens relationships with service providers and community.
Goal 6 – Improve outcomes for survivors of domestic violence and their families.
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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The proposed MOU outlines the cooperative framework between the City, the County of San Mateo, the City of Daly City, and CORA, detailing the roles and responsibilities of each party in implementing the DV CORE Advocate Program.
Additionally, the County of San Mateo will hire a program evaluator to measure the outcomes and effectiveness of the program.
Notably, the program will incur no fiscal cost to the City, as it is fully funded by the County of San Mateo. The term of the MOU is set for 2 years, with the option for renewal subject to mutual agreement and funding availability. It is the City’s policy that inter-governmental agency agreements be approved by the City Council.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City with the adoption of this MOU. The County of San Mateo will fund all associated costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This agreement is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Memorandum of Understanding
STAFF CONTACT
Ed Barberini, Chief of Police
[email protected]
(650) 522-7600
Matt Lethin, Captain
[email protected]
(650) 522-7663