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To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $489,395.00 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, to amend the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Special Fund Budget by creating a new special fund for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond called the Operation Ceasefire Special Fund, and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond’s Operation Ceasefire Special Fund by $489,395.00, for the purpose of funding upgraded software for receiving, reviewing, formatting, duplicating, and producing digital files for discovery and for the recruitment of a digital media forensic examiner to assist in reviewing digital files and preparing exhibits for trial.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, is authorized to accept funds in the amount of $489,395.00 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for the purpose of funding upgraded software for receiving, reviewing, formatting, duplicating, and producing digital files for discovery and for the recruitment of a digital media forensic examiner to assist in reviewing digital files and preparing exhibits for trial.
§ 2. That Article I, Section 2 of Ordinance No. 2023-071, adopted May 8, 2023, which adopted a Special Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, and made appropriations pursuant thereto, be and is hereby amended by creating a new special fund for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond called the Operation Ceasefire Special Fund for the purpose of funding upgraded software for receiving, reviewing, formatting, duplicating, and producing digital files for discovery and for the recruitment of a digital media forensic examiner to assist in reviewing digital files and preparing exhibits for trial.
§ 3. That the funds received from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services are hereby appropriated to the Special Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, by increasing estimated revenues by $489,395.00, increasing the amount appropriated for expenditures by $489,395.00, and allotting to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond’s Operation Ceasefire Special Fund the sum of $489,395.00, for the purpose of funding upgraded software for receiving, reviewing, formatting, duplicating, and producing digital files for discovery and for the recruitment of a digital media forensic examiner to assist in reviewing digital files and preparing exhibits for trial.
§ 4. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
City of Richmond
Intracity Correspondence
DATE: December 21, 2023
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Levar M. Stoney, Mayor
THROUGH: J.E. Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Lauren B. Kirk, Budget & Strategic Planning
RE: To authorize the CAO to accept Operation Ceasefire Grant Award funds in the amount of $489,395 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services by amending the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Special Fund Budget and creating a new special fund for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond called the Operation Ceasefire Special Fund.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Operation Ceasefire Grant Program is to specifically support local prosecution efforts to address violent crime. The City of Richmond OCA handles a high volume of violent crime cases. Detectives who investigate violent crimes such as homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults, and robberies typically collect a large amount of digital evidence. Prosecutors spend a significant amount of time receiving, reviewing, formatting, duplicating, and producing (for discovery) digital files. The OCA has been awarded funds to 1) upgrade existing Axon digital media software to the Justice Premier version; and 2) hire a digital media forensic examiner to review and analyze digital files, and to prepare exhibits for trial.
BACKGROUND: The Operation Ceasefire Fund was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2022 to be used solely for the purposes of implementing violent crime reduction strategies. The OCA has been using Axon software only to receive Body Worn Camera videos and has not been able to take advantage of advanced functionality for all types of digital evidence.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: N/A
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: Violent Crime Reduction
FISCAL IMPACT: Increase of $489,395 total ($285,395 in operations and $195,000 in personnel) of OCA funds during the project period of 1/1/2024 through 12/31/2026. The increase shall be appropriated to the FY2023-2024 Special Fund by creating a new special fund for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney entitled Operation Ceasefire Special Fund. OCA intends to use asset forfeiture funds to pay for any cost of a 5-year contract not covered by grant funds. The local funds are discussed in the grant application to explain specific amounts requested, but a local match is not required to receive this grant award. Although it is not anticipated, insufficient funds would be justification for withdrawal from said contract without penalty. Impact by fiscal year is as follows:
FY 2023-24 = $32,500 in personnel; $0 in operations
FY 2024-25 = $65,000 in personnel; $91,426 in operations
FY 2025-26 = $65,000 in personnel; $95,083 in operations
FY 2026-27 = $32,500 in personnel; $98,886 in operations
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption.
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: January 8, 2024
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: January 22, 2024
REQUESTED AGENDA:
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Committee Waived
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney and Department of Information Technology. OCA already has an agreement in place with Axon allowing for the receipt and sharing of Body Worn Camera footage through Evidence.com. Funds described in this document are for an upgrade in that same web-based software. Effect on DIT, therefore, is expected to be minimal or non-existent. The City of Richmond network will be used to access the internet during software use.
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: Ord. No. 2023-071
ATTACHMENTS: See attached grant application and statement of grant award.
STAFF: Lauren B. Kirk, Budget & Strategic Planning,
Kelli Burnett, Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney