City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: March 25, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.C
1 of 3
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Subject: Authorization to Accept the 2024 Justice Assistance Grant for Implementation of the JAG Project to Impact Crime and Keep Neighborhoods Safe
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant award in the amount $44,021 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for implementation of the JAG 2024 Project to Impact Crime and Keep Neighborhoods Safe in the Police Department, and to accept all grant renewals;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant; and
4. Authorize the budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of the report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
To reduce crime and keep neighborhoods safe, the Santa Monica Police Department (“SMPD”) utilizes a variety of public safety and quality of life strategies, including the use of focused operations that are supported by both sworn officers and civilian staff.
To prevent a reduction in routine service responses and to maintain the quality of regular service, these supplemental crime impact operations are staffed using personnel on overtime. To supplement funding for overtime costs to support these activities, the SMPD has been awarded a grant in the amount of $44,021, under the 2 of 3
2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG), which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Discussion
The JAG program is a formula grant that provides funding to support a range of program areas including law enforcement. Formula allocations are awarded by the DOJ to each State and then to local jurisdictions based on population and crime statistics.
Santa Monica has been an annual recipient of varying amounts of Justice Department grants for the past fourteen years. Past projects supported by this funding have included interoperable communications equipment, funding of overtime for crime control operations, funding for certified crime lab services, and funding for DNA forensic testing.
The Santa Monica Police Department plans to leverage these funds to conduct overtime operations for special details and to support the upcoming Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). Once the RTCC is fully operational, the JAG funds will be utilized to provide supplemental staffing for the RTCC as well as fund overtime operations to target top priority areas. Without the additional JAG funds, the opportunity to conduct focused operations targeting specific issues and concerns is reduced. These strategies meet unfunded needs and will serve to improve quality of life by reducing area crime and social disorder.
Environmental Review
The acceptance of the grant and use of grant funding is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The grant covered by the commonsense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The grant will support the Police Department operations and functions providing funding for overtime costs. Therefore it can be seen with certainty that the proposed modification would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is categorically exempt from CEQA.
Past Council Actions
3 of 3
Meeting Date Description
04/11/23 (attachment
A)
Fiscal Year 2022-23 Midyear Budget – Authorize City
Manager to Accept a JAG 2022 Grant Award
12/12/23 (attachment
B)
Authorize City Manager to Accept a JAG 2023 Grant Award Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to accept a grant from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG), which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment.
FY 2024-25 Budget Amendment
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20180001.40426H $44,021 20180001.55547H $44,021
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. FY2022-23 Midyear Budget (Web Link)
B. JAG 2023 Grant (Web Link)