REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 12/06/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department
SUBJECT:
Title
DISBURSEMENT OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY REGIONAL GANG TASK FORCE REGION 7 ASSET FORFEITURE FUNDS TO THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks for the City Council’s authorization to appropriate $15,431 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund 250 to the Police Department’s operating budget, and disburse payment to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department due to the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Corona Police Department and the Riverside County Regional Gang Task Force.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council authorize an appropriation in the amount of $15,431 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund 250 to the Police Department’s operating budget, and disburse payment to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
In March 2021, the Corona Police Department entered a Memorandum of Understanding reestablishing the Gang Task Force partnership within Corona and surrounding communities. As part of the agreement, the Corona Police Department was the host agency for Region 7 and provided one Police Sergeant and one Police Corporal to the task force. The Corona Police Department also became the fiscal agent for Region 7’s asset forfeiture funds. These funds were transferred from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department to the City of Corona’s Asset Forfeiture Fund 250. After collaborating with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and in an effort to enhance our service to the community by developing internal gang experts and increasing enforcement efforts within the City of Corona, the Corona Police Department terminated the Memorandum of Understanding with the Riverside County Regional Gang Task Force in July 2023.
ANALYSIS:
Since the Corona Police Department terminated participation in the Riverside County Regional Gang Task Force, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has become the host agency for Region 7. To comply with the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Corona Police Department must transfer the balance of the Region 7 Gang Task Force Asset Forfeiture funds, which are held in the Asset Forfeiture Fund 250 account, to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. These funds, $15,431, include the initial transfer of $5,383.64 from the Sheriff’s Department in 2021, the seized assets while the Corona Police Department was the host agency, and all interest accrued from the initial transfer and seized assets.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended action will result in an appropriation in the amount of $15,431 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund 250 to the Police Department’s operating budget for a payment disbursement to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. There is sufficient fund balance in the Asset Forfeiture Fund 250 for the recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action of transferring funds is minimal, and there is no possibility this will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JASON PEREZ, LIEUTENANT
REVIEWED BY: ROBERT NEWMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Riverside County Regional Gang Task Force Staff Report March 17, 2021
2. Exhibit 2 - Memorandum of Understanding - Riverside County Regional Gang Task Force 2021-2025
3. Exhibit 3 - Gang Task Force - Region 7 Fund Earnings Calculation