DATE: March 12, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Police Department
TITLE: ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE FY 2024 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff and the Police and Fire Commission recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution to accept $52,914 in grant funds from the FY 2024 U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant awarded to the City for crime suppression; appropriate the funds to the Justice Assistance Grant Fund; approve the grant budget; and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the grant documents.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Since its inception in 2005, the City of Oceanside has received funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistant Grant (JAG). The JAG program primarily provides federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions to support local crime prevention efforts. The JAG 2024 award performance period expires in September 2027.
The Oceanside Police Department (OPD) proposes to use JAG 2024 funds to purchase additional Flock Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras to enhance crime suppression efforts within the City. Annual maintenance costs for the surveillance equipment will also be funded through this award to ensure it is adequately maintained. The annual maintenance will include lens cleaning, focusing, and camera and solar panel replacement, as necessary. Oceanside currently has 10 Flock cameras strategically installed throughout the City. Since the deployment of these cameras, OPD has achieved significant investigative results. There have been over 300 "hotlist" hits that have alerted OPD to stolen vehicles, stolen vehicle license plates, and license plate recognition for ongoing criminal investigations. This surveillance equipment has served as a useful investigative tool, helping the Department solve numerous crimes. The additional ALPRs...
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