Agenda - 10-01-2003-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 1, 2003 Action Agenda Item No. ~-b CI IRIIC[_T• I nral I aw Fnf~rrement Block Grant DEPARTMENT: Sheriff PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: A. Lindy Pendergrass, ext 2911 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To conduct a public hearing for written and oral comments on the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. BACKGROUND: Over the last few years, the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department have had the opportunity to receive monies from the U. S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG). According to guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Justice, these funds are awarded to local law enforcement agencies using a formula based on Part I Violent Crimes as reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports. Examples of Part I crimes include murder, robbery and aggravated assault. These monies have helped each department offset the cost of reducing crimes and improving public safety services to residents throughout Orange County. For the current fiscal year, the Sheriff's Department recently received notification from the USDOJ that the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are eligible to receive LLEBG funds for fiscal year 2003-04 while the Orange County Sheriff's Department is not eligible. However, the Sheriff's Department was also notified that there was a certified funding disparity between the County and the Towns. According to the attached memorandum from the North Carolina Department of Justice, the criteria for determining the disparity include: (1) the County bears more than 50 percent of the costs of prosecution or incarceration; and (2) a municipality in the County has an eligible funding amount greater (by 200 or 400 percent) than the funding amount of the County. The costs of providing these services include personnel costs of Jail and Courtroom Security personnel, as well as day to day cost for medical, hygiene and meals for inmates. In addition to those costs, the County covers costs associated with the consolidated 911 Telecommunications Center, which offers communication services to all law enforcement and emergency services agencies located in Orange County.