TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Amanda Gibbs, Chief Probation Officer
REPORT BY: Ferlyn Buenafe, Staff Services Manager
SUBJECT: Acceptance of the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) Intensive Probation Supervision DUI Grant
RECOMMENDATION
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Chief Probation Officer requests approval and authorization for the Chair to accept grant funding and sign Agreement No. 240202B with the Office of Traffic Safety for a maximum contract amount of $300,000 for the term October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024 to provide intensive probation supervision for high-risk felony and repeat DUI offenders.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of the Agreement enables the County to receive funding to provide intensive supervision to reduce DUI related fatalities, injuries, and recidivism.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Where is it budgeted? |
It will be budgeted in the Probation budget - 1420000 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The Grant is designed to reduce alcohol-impaired driving accidents and death on our roadways. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Funds will be budgeted accordingly in the succeeding fiscal year. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
If the Agreement is not approved, the Probation will not receive funding for staff resources already performing eligible grant activities. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Collaborative and Engaged Community |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the biggest threats to public safety and well-being on our roadways. Per the OTS, in 2021, 1,370 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes, a 16% increase from 2020, accounting for nearly a third of all traffic deaths in California (32%). The OTS grant provides funding for enforcement operations dedicated to stopping and arresting suspected impaired drivers, purchase of equipment such as breath testing devices, monitoring and treatment of high-risk DUI offenders, and youth education programs for high school and college students on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.
Probation currently supervises well over 400 DUI offenders. The Department does not currently have dedicated or specialized caseloads to supervise this type of offender and does not have a DUI specific risk assessment to better identify high risk DUI offenders in need of more intensive supervision.
Grant funding will allow for the establishment of a specific caseload and staff dedicated to this population for specialized supervision and services, compliance sweeps, warrant services, data collection and resources (overtime) to partner with local law enforcement for warrant sweeps, DUI checkpoint operations, and ensure compliance with offenders’ terms and conditions of supervision.
Disbursement of grant funds occurs on a reimbursement basis for costs incurred during a reporting period. Grantees must submit invoices and a quarterly report 30 days following the end of the quarter.