To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): District Attorney
Staff Name and Phone Number: Shane Lewis 565-3150, Carla Rodriguez, 565-3098
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the District Attorney to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sonoma County District Attorney and Santa Rosa Police Department, establishing an agreement to jointly participate in the U.S. Department of Justice, Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant Assistance Program.
end
Executive Summary:
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program is a source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions to support program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, crime prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and technology improvement. The JAG Program funds are allocated to each state based on its share of the national population, crime expenditure data, and violent crime statistics, and funds are then split between the state and local jurisdictions. Based on the eligibility formula used by the Department of Justice, both the County of Sonoma and the City of Santa Rosa are allocated funds for this program.
Discussion:
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program was established by Congress in 2005 to replace funding previously disbursed through the Byrne Formula Grant Program and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. Allocations are made based on state population, crime expenditure data, and violent crime data as determined by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in conjunction with the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The County of Sonoma rotates this grant program among the Sheriff’s Office, Public Defender, and District Attorney. Per the rotation, the grant for Federal Fiscal Year 2025-26 is designated for the District Attorney.
According to the JAG Program Statute, a disparity exists between the funding eligibility of a county and a city within its jurisdiction when the amount awarded to the city exceeds 150% of the amount allocated to the county in which it is located. The County of Sonoma and the City of Santa Rosa have been identified by the Bureau of Justice Assistance as disparate jurisdictions and are required to submit a joint application for the 2025-26 Federal Fiscal Year. The Sonoma County allocation is $29,566 and City of Santa Rosa allocation is 170% of the County allocation at $50,471, resulting in the disparate designation. A memorandum of understanding that identifies which jurisdiction will serve as the applicant or fiscal agent for joint funds must be completed and signed by the authorized representative for each participating jurisdiction. The City of Santa Rosa will act as the fiscal agent for the FFY 2025-26 program and, once the award is made, will be responsible for the distribution of grant funds to the District Attorney through a subaward.
Funds received through this program are expected to be used to purchase licenses for Rev, an artificial intelligence application that powers transcription in Axon, the digital evidence management application utilized by local law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office. The primary use of this technology is for transcription and analysis for jail calls, but it can be utilized to transcribe other audio and video files as well including body camera footage and interviews. The Rev platform provides verbatim AI transcription, creating a written, searchable transcript. Side-by-side translation for transcripts is also available. This application has been approved by County Counsel and ISD and is currently used by the Public Defender’s Office.
Any remaining funds will be used for an improved audio and video conferencing system.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
The Board has approved participation in the Justice Assistance Grant Program since 2005, and since 1996 under the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. Grant participation was approved for the District Attorney’s Office to participate in the FFY 2017-18 program, however successful legal challenges to controversial conditions in the grant delayed final approval until 2020. County Counsel advised against applying for JAG funds in FFY 2018-19 and FFY 2019-20 due to the continuing legal challenges to grant conditions. Participation in the program by the Public Defender’s Office was approved in 2020, the Sheriff’s Department in 2021, the District Attorney’s Office in 2022, The Public Defender in 2023, and the Sheriff in 2024. The requirement for County agencies to participate jointly with the City of Santa Rosa was first required in 2022.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
$29,566 |
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
$29,566 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
$29,566 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
$29,566 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Upon formal award, the 2025 Justice Assistance Grant revenue and expenditures will be included as adjustments to the District Attorney’s FY26-27 final budget through consolidated budget adjustments. Justice Assistant Grant Program funds represent one-time funding and there is no match requirement. Expenditures will be offset with grant revenue and there will be no increase to general fund net cost.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No staffing impact.
Attachments:
Department of Justice Notice of Funding Opportunity
Memorandum of Understanding
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A