City of Bradenton

Proposed Plan for the Fiscal Year 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Formula Program

Public Notice Advertisement:July 04, 2021

Public Comment & Plan Availability Period: July 05, 2021 to August 05, 2021 

Posted to City’s Webpage: July 05, 2021 revised July 6, 2021

Governing Body Notified of Grant Opportunity: July 02, 2021 

Governing Body Consideration for Adoption: July 28, 2021

Application Submission: August 06, 2021

Table of Contents

Overview

City of Bradenton Proposed Use of Funds

Program Narrative

Budget Narrative and Budget Detail Budget

Review Narrative

Public Advertisement as to Plan Availability for Public Comment

Appendix 

Overview

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to states and units of local government. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will award JAG Program funds to eligible units of local government as described in this FY 2021 JAG Program Local Solicitation (BJA will issue a separate solicitation for states).

City of Bradenton Proposed Use of Funds

The City of Bradenton proposes to use its fiscal year 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) formula program funds as a means to purchase one Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) camera(s) for one of our mobile trailers; a motion-activated cellular video surveillance camera system, and electronic equipment to upgrade our current Armored Surveillance Vehicle (ASV).      

Program Narrative

The City of Bradenton is located along the west-central coast of Florida. The Bradenton Police Department has an authorized police force of 123 officers dedicated to serving a community of approximately 60,000 residents, with an average of more than 3 million visitors to the Bradenton area each year.        

The Bradenton Police Department proposes using the FY 2021 Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds to purchase resources to address an increase in criminal offenses over the past year.  Within the last year (June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2021), the Bradenton Police Bradenton serviced over 96,000 calls, including 1,644 UCR crimes.  The year to date (January 1 – June 30) comparison of 2020 vs. 2021 shows an increase of 9.3% in total Part 1 Crime, driven in large part by significant percentage increases in Aggravated Assault (58.33%), Auto Theft (50%), and Burglary (14.9%).    

To respond to a surge in Part 1 crimes, the Bradenton Police Department has developed many responses currently in various stages of development or implementation.  The responses consider the human element (people), the Department's systemic approach to addressing problems/issues (processes), and the innovative use of modern electronic and data systems (technology).  A list of the responses follows:

• Pattern Violence Form – Improved communications between Patrol and Investigations

• Training and Awareness of Identifying and Investigating Patterns of Shootings

• Development of an Intelligence / Real-Time Crime Center 

• Establish a response team for weekend/after-hours incidents

• Utilize Nuisance Abatement and/or civil process to address chronic problems

• Enhance partnerships with neighboring law enforcement agencies

• Use of mobile surveillance cameras and ALPR technology

• Deployment of the Armored Surveillance Vehicle (ASV) in hot spots for deterrence

• Purchase additional fixed video cameras with low light capability

The equipment listed in this proposal is essential to enhance the response plan's technical aspects and augment our ability to identify suspects, conduct criminal investigations, and share information with our local law enforcement partners.  The Bradenton Police Department will continue to work collaboratively with our community partners to strengthen community policing, reduce the fear and incidence of crime, and develop safe communities for our residents.           

After the program, data will be summarized, compared, and reported as required by the Department of Justice.  The Bradenton Police Department is capable and confident in our ability to fulfill this proposal as we seek to eliminate crime and raise the quality of life for our stakeholders.      

Budget Narrative and Budget

Equipment

1. License Plate Reader Cameras for Message Board Trailer

The Bradenton Police Department currently deploys one (1) solar-powered Message Board trailer outfitted with automated License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras.  LPRs use image-processing technology to identify vehicles by their license plates. LPRs automate a process that, in the past, was conducted manually by officers. 

Using a special form of optical character recognition (OCR), the LPR's algorithms transform pixels of a digital image into the text of a license plate. Since entering the market, LPRs have been employed in many applications, but one of the fastest-growing uses is by criminal justice entities who use LPR technology as an investigative tool to aid them in recovering stolen vehicles, locating possible criminals, assisting in the security of large public venues, and conducting other intelligence and investigative activities.

Images are captured by LPRs and translated into letters and numbers, and compared to law enforcement databases of registered vehicles, including those known to be or suspected of being involved with crimes or infractions. If a match to possible criminal activity is found, the LPR system provides an alert to the officer that a suspected vehicle is in the immediate area of an LPR.  Through this growing adoption of LPRs, criminal justice entities are reporting increased successes in locating stolen vehicles and identifying suspects.

The Bradenton Police Department will soon take delivery of a second solar-powered Message Board trailer from our vendor, Vetted Security Solutions.  The trailer is very mobile and can easily be transported to a deployment location by any standard truck or sport utility vehicle.  Upon delivery, the trailer will be pre-wired and prepared for camera/software installation.  We are requesting the use of funds to retrofit the LPR cameras to this trailer.  This would give the Bradenton Police Department a total of two (2) mobile message board / LPR units, which can be utilized for law enforcement purposes as described above.

The cost to retrofit the trailer is $21,800.

2. Motion Activated Cellular Video Cameras

Municipalities across the country are in a constant search for effective public safety interventions that will curb crime and improve their communities' livability and economic well-being. This is particularly true among law enforcement agencies that embrace a community policing philosophy, which has become a key component of policing efforts in most mid and large-sized law enforcement agencies across the United States.  While many believe that the adoption of community policing has led to more efficient and effective policing strategies, law enforcement agencies continue to grapple with limited resources and are therefore interested in employing cost-effective tools that can enhance their community policing efforts.

Among the options of public safety tools is the use of video surveillance systems.  Community policing, which embodies a combination of proactive crime prevention and community engagement with more traditional policing functions, benefits from this technology because video surveillance can enhance problem-solving strategies, aid in arrests and investigations, and ultimately increase offenders' perceptions that they will be both caught and prosecuted. Video surveillance systems might also yield a secondary impact, serving to increase legitimate users' perceptions of safety and thus their presence in public areas, which in turn may increase guardianship, improve police-community partnerships, and reduce crime.

To improve our ability to conduct video surveillance and investigation at various "hot spot" locations, BPD requests to disburse funds to purchase eight (8) motion-activated wireless cameras, along with eight (8) solar attachments, and eight (8) 12-month data SIM data cards.  This would allow the Department to efficiently cover a large business or multiple residential areas with video surveillance for an extended period of time. 

The total projected cost for the cameras and associated equipment is $3,280.

3. Armored Surveillance Vehicle (ASV) 

The Bradenton Police Department currently deploys an Armored Surveillance Vehicle (ASV), a repurposed armored bank truck, fitted with a 360-degree video recording system.  The ASV is designed to act as deterrence in those areas where a high incidence of criminal, narcotic, or nuisance activity has taken place and is also available for monitoring activities at special events within the City. 

The ASV was initially obtained and outfitted for use by BPD in 2017.  Recently, we have identified the need to upgrade the ASV's cameras and electrical equipment to be used more frequently and deployed for longer time periods.

To upgrade the ASV, all components will be replaced with the exception of the four batteries currently installed.  By changing out the components to a purpose-built 12-volt system, along with solar panels to charge the batteries, the vehicle will be able to run the surveillance system indefinitely. 

The cost of a new DVR with eight (8) cameras and a solar panel array is $3,450.   

Total JAG Fiscal Year 2021 Equipment Costs $ 28,530

Detail Budget 

Total JAG Allotment $28,457

Equipment

• License Plate Reader Cameras $21,800

• Motion Activated Cellular Video Cameras $ 3,280

• Armored Surveillance Vehicle Upgrade $ 3,450

Total Equipment Cost $28,530
  (-$73)    
Leveraged Funds 

Leverge Funds (BPD Equipment) +($ 73)

Total Fiscal Year 2021 JAG Budget $ 28,530

The City of Bradenton received notice from the U.S. Department of Justice of its proposed allocation of $28,457.  The remaining $73 in equipment costs will come from the Department's equipment budget line (leverage funds).     

REVIEW NARRATIVE

The proposed plan will be provided to the governing body for review on July 02, 2021, and will be considered by City Council on July 28, 2021.  The application will be submitted on August 06, 2021, to the Department of Justice.  Public comment will be allowed during the public hearing considering the plan adoption on July 28, 2021, during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.  The plan will be made available for public review and comment for 30 days before submission.  

The following timeline will be followed during this application process:  

Public Notice Advertisement: July 04, 2021

Public Comment & Plan Availability Period: July 05, 2021, to August 05, 2021 

Posted to City’s Webpage:     July 02, 2021 revised July 6, 2021

Governing Body Notified of Grant Opportunity: July 02, 2021   

Governing Body Consideration for Adoption: July 28, 2021

Application Submission: August 06, 2021

The proposed plan was made available to the public via the City's webpage, www.cityofbradenton.com, and was available at both City Hall and Bradenton Police Department.  Public comment will also be allowed during the public hearing considering the plan adoption on July 28, 2021, during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.  Any comments will be forwarded to the DOJ for review.  

City of Bradenton

ADVERTISEMENT NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY & NOTICE OF CITIZEN COMMENT PERIOD

The City of Bradenton has received notice from the U.S. Department of Justice of its proposed allocation of the $28,457 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program (A maximum of 10% of the funds may be used for planning and administration).

The City's proposed plan identifying how it intends to use these funds will be available for public review at the following locations:

City of Bradenton webpage -   www.cityofbradenton.com

City of Bradenton - 101 Old Main Street, Bradenton, FL 34205

Bradenton Police Department - 100 10th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205

Bradenton Police Department webpage – www.bradentonpd.com

Citizen comments will be received from July 05, 2021, through close business day, August 05, 2021.  The City Council will conduct a public hearing and consider adopting the recommended application during the July 28, 2021, City Council meeting commencing at 8:30 AM.  All comments received during the citizen input period will be forwarded with the grant application submittal to the Department of Justice. 

City of Bradenton
C/O Captain Jeremy S. Giddens
2021 Justice Assistance Program
100 10th St West 
Bradenton, Florida 34205

For more information, please contact Captain Jeremy Giddens at 941-932-9300.

Publish One Time on Sunday, July 04, 2021
APPENDIX

Budget Detail Summary

Equipment Request: Federal: $28,457 Non-Federal: $73 Total: $28,530 

Total Direct Costs: Federal: $28,457 Non-Federal: $73 Total: $28,530 

Total Project Costs: Federal: $28,457 Non-Federal: $73 Total: $28,530 

Total Federal Request:   $28,457