Title
SHERIFF - REQUEST FOR AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE, THE CITY OF EL CAJON, THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, AND THE CITY OF ESCONDIDO FOR CALIFORNIA IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM SUPPORT POSITIONS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The California Identification System/Remote Access Network (Cal-ID/RAN) is a statewide system that provides local law enforcement agencies with direct access to local, state, and federal automated fingerprint, palm print, photo systems and databases. This statewide system allows for the rapid identification of persons booked into detention facilities and latent prints lifted from crime scenes. The Sheriff's Department serves as San Diego County's Cal-ID/RAN administrator.
Since 2007, the San Diego County Cal-ID/RAN Board has served as a regional policy and advisory board responsible for making recommendations for a program to employ staff in crime laboratories across the region and identify suspects. The County of San Diego's (County’s) current agreements for Cal-ID support positions with the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido will expire on June 30, 2024. To ensure the continued success of the program, there is a need to continue to provide funding for staff at the Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido Police Departments.
Today's request seeks approval to authorize agreements between the County by and through the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido to provide funding annually from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund to the cities for the Cal-ID support positions. The term of the agreements is July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
SHERIFF
1. Authorize the Sheriff's Department (Sheriff) to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the City of Oceanside to provide an estimated $149,809 in annual funding for one full-time Latent Print Examiner position based on revenue from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029, and to amend the MOA as needed to reflect changes to requirements and funding.
2. Authorize the Sheriff to execute a MOA with the City of El Cajon to provide an estimated $111,884 in annual funding for one full-time Forensic Evidence Technician position based on revenue from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029, and to amend the MOA as needed to reflect changes to requirements and funding.
3. Authorize the Sheriff to execute a MOA with the City of Chula Vista to provide an estimated $85,947 in annual funding for one full-time Automated Fingerprint Technician position based on revenue from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029, and to amend the MOA as needed to reflect changes to requirements and funding.
4. Authorize the Sheriff to execute a MOA with the City of Escondido to provide an estimated $91,030 in annual funding for one Regional Contract Cal-ID Specialist position based on revenue from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029, and to amend the MOA as needed to reflect changes to requirements and funding.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Offender identification is crucial in the criminal justice process to deliver offender accountability and bring justice and healing to victims. Qualified Latent Print Examiners demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of friction ridge physiology and morphology, terminology, detection, recovery, photography, preservation, enhancement, analysis, comparison, documentation and reporting of latent print evidence. This level of expertise is critical in supporting the San Diego County California Identification System (Cal-ID) program. Fingerprint identification and forensic evidence handling are key components to identifying individuals involved in crimes and exonerating the innocent. The positions for Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido ensure that these critical components of criminal investigations are completed.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today's action to authorize agreements with the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido supports the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goal of providing just and equitable access for victims of crimes and those that may have wrongfully been accused in a crime. The California Identification System (Cal-ID) program and the Latent Print Examiners that work the program ensure that accurate identification is conducted, which is a critical component of serving justice and holding the responsible parties accountable for their actions. Forensic Evidence Technicians are critical in the collection, safe handling, and management of critical components that lead to identifying individuals who commit crime and help bring justice for victims.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, funds for these requests will be included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 CAO Recommended Operational Plan for the Sheriff's Department. These requests will result in estimated costs and revenue of $438,670 for Fiscal Year 2024-25, with annual increases as needed for up to an additional four years through June 30, 2029 to be included in future Operational Plans for the Sheriff's Department. The funding source is the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
The San Diego County California Identification System (Cal-ID)/Remote Access Network (RAN) Board is a regional policy and advisory board responsible for making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the use of Cal-ID funds. The Cal-ID/RAN Board is comprised of seven members including a member of the Board of Supervisors, the sheriff, the district attorney, two police chiefs, a mayor, and a member-at-large. On May 8, 2023, the Cal-ID/RAN Board authorized the use of Cal-ID revenue to continue to fund one full-time Latent Print Examiner in the City of Oceanside. On December 11, 2023, the Cal-ID/RAN Board authorized the use of Cal-ID revenue to continue to fund one full-time Forensic Evidence Technician in the City of El Cajon, one full-time Automated Fingerprint Technician in the City of Chula Vista, and one Regional Contract Cal-ID Specialist in the City of Escondido. The approved term for these positions is July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029.
BACKGROUND
The California Identification System (Cal-ID) is the automated system maintained by the Department of Justice for retaining fingerprint files and identifying latent fingerprints. Remote Access Network (RAN) is the uniform statewide network of equipment and procedures allowing local law enforcement agencies direct access to the Cal-ID system. It provides local law enforcement agencies with direct access to local, state, and federal automated fingerprint, palm print, photo systems and databases. This statewide system allows for the rapid identification of persons booked into detention facilities and latent prints lifted from crime scenes.
The Sheriff's Fingerprint ID Trust Fund is funded through the collection of a $2 fee for every vehicle registered in San Diego County by the Department of Motor Vehicles, as provided for under Vehicle Code Section 9250.19. On October 5, 2021 (6), the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors authorized to increase the fee to $2 for a period of five years by adopting Resolution No. 21-156. Funds deposited in the Sheriff's Fingerprint ID Trust Fund are collected countywide and expended solely for regional law enforcement forensic and fingerprint identification systems.
Latent prints are identified and collected as crime scene evidence are entered into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) by crime scene investigation (CSI) and crime laboratory staff. AFIS compares the latent prints to prints contained in the San Diego County regional and California Department of Justice Cal-ID print databases. The searches contribute to the identification of suspects in crimes, as well as exonerating the innocent. As part of a program to effectively and efficiently process latent prints to identify suspects, the Cal-ID/RAN Board has made recommendations to fund Cal-ID support positions since 2007. The current agreements for Cal-ID support positions with the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido will expire on June 30, 2024. The continuation of funding for these positions will allow the cities' crime laboratories to efficiently process fingerprints to assist in case resolution. Personnel in these positions will be able to continue to enter and search cases in AFIS. As part of this program, on May 8, 2023 and December 11, 2023, the Cal-ID/RAN Board authorized and approved the use of Cal-ID revenue from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund to continue to support positions in the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido.
This is a request to authorize an agreement between the County of San Diego by and through the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the cities of Oceanside, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Escondido to provide funding from the Sheriff Fingerprint ID Trust Fund to the cities annually for Cal-ID support positions. The term of the agreements is from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, with automatic annual renewals up to a maximum of four additional years through June 30, 2029. The cities will provide known compensation increases annually to the Cal-ID/RAN Board during the term of the agreement.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today's proposed actions support the Community and Equity Strategic Initiatives of the County of San Diego's 2023-2028 Strategic Plan by aiding in the identification and subsequent apprehension of criminals and providing justice and healing for victims and their families, resulting in a safer community.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelly a. martinez
Sheriff
ATTACHMENT(S)
N/A