City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 13, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.M
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Subject: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the acceptance of a grant awarded in the amount of $44,000 from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for the 2022-23 ABC-OTS Grant Program in the Police Department.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant and all grant renewals.
3. Authorize budget changes as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report.
Summary
The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has been awarded a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) grant in the amount of $44,000.
Funds must be used by the end of the grant period, or by August 31, 2023. No local match is required. The grant aims to enhance community wellbeing by reducing youth access to alcoholic beverages using both education and enforcement strategies. The goal is to reduce underage drinking as well as Driving Under the Influence (DUI) driving injuries and fatalities.
Discussion
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This ABC grant comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The city has previously received grant funding from this and similar ABC grant programs in 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Similar to previous ABC-OTS grants, the 2022 ABC-OTS grant would fund the following overtime operations:
• Minor Decoy Operations – The Minor Decoy program is designed to educate and deter licensed locations from selling alcohol to minors. The program uses supervised individuals, under the age of 20, to attempt to purchase alcohol at licensed premises. This program has proven to be an effective tool in promoting responsible practices in the sale of alcoholic beverages by licensees, reducing substance abuse, and enhancing community welfare by limiting underage access to alcohol.
• Shoulder Tap Operations – The Shoulder Tap Program is used to detect and deter adults who furnish alcohol to minors. “Shoulder Tapping” refers to the practices used by minors to obtain alcohol from adult strangers near off-sale retail outlets. The Shoulder Tap program uses supervised individuals under the age of 20. During the operation the minors attempt to have an adult purchase alcohol for them at licensed ABC establishments.
• Informed Merchants Preventing Alcohol-Related Crime Tendencies (IMPACT) inspections – the primary goal is to educate licensees on alcohol related laws to help reduce alcohol-related crime in and around licensed premises. SMPD officers will conduct visits and inspection of licensed premises identifying areas of non-compliance. There is follow up to ensure any issues are addressed. • Holiday Enforcement – This program consists of working general undercover and high-profile enforcement targeting underage drinking, sales/furnishing to minors, sales to obviously intoxicated patrons, and other related violations.
The grant would require press releases to be issued at the conclusion of each Minor Decoy, Shoulder Tap, and IMPACT operation.
Environmental Review
This is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act. 3 of 3
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
12/14/21 (attachment
A)
Accept ABC Grant Award $20,000
08/13/19 (attachment
B)
Accept ABC Grant Award $66,519
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control.
FY 2022-23 Grant Budget Changes
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20180002.404617 $44,000 20180002.555163.21035 $44,000
If renewals are awarded, budget changes will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jose Arroyo, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Staff Report - December 14, 2021
B. Staff Report - August 13, 2019
C. Resolution - ABC Grant - 2022-23 (12-13-22)