Subject:
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Grant agreement with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the Statewide Criminal Analysis Laboratory System Grant.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the grant agreement with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Statewide Criminal Analysis Laboratory System Grant.
• The Statewide Criminal Analysis Laboratory System Grant (Lab Grant) is funded by court fines and fees established under Florida Statutes Section 938.07 and 938.055.
• Fines and fees are collected statewide and allocated annually across each of the five locally-operated crime laboratories (local labs) based upon a percentage of population served.
• The Lab Grant provides recurring supplemental funding for the Pinellas County Forensic Lab (PCFL) operating costs to help maintain staffing levels and equipment.
• Total coverage of the five local lab areas serve a combined population of 7,822,380 residents. The PCFL serves approximately 12.5% of this population at 978,045 residents. There was a 10.8% increase in the number of DNA cases submitted to PCFL for analysis from FY19 to Fiscal Year 2020.
• At 12.5%, the FY21 Lab Grant funding for PCFL is an amount not to exceed $290,000.00. There is no match required for this grant.
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Strategic Plan:
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
This Grant Agreement is recurring supplemental funding of the PCFL’s operating costs. The Statewide Criminal Analysis Laboratory System Grant reduces reliance on local general revenue support of the PCFL.
Background Information:
The Lab Grant is financed by criminal fines and fees collected statewide, under Florida Statutes, Section 938.07 and Section 938.055. Fines and fees are allocated annually across each of the five local labs based upon a percentage of population served.
Total coverage of the five local lab areas serves a combined population of 7,822,380 residents. The Pinellas County Forensic Lab (PCFL) serves 12.5% of this population at 978,045 residents. Pinellas County will receive 12.5% of the fines collected through FY20. FDLE disperses funding quarterly based upon the total fines collected.
Section 943.32, Florida Statutes, establishes a statewide criminal analysis laboratory system that includes the PCFL, a locally funded laboratory eligible for funding under Florida Statutes, Section 943.35. The PCFL employs professionals that provide the County’s criminal justice system with a variety of forensic services including but not limited to DNA tests, toxicology reports, and trace evidence analysis.
Since 2011, the number of DNA cases submitted to the PCFL has increased 127%, with the most significant growth coming from sexual assault cases due to legislative changes. In 2019, 1,658 DNA cases were submitted to PCFL for analysis and 1,853 DNA cases were submitted in 2020, an increase of 10.8%.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding in an amount not to exceed $290,000.00 is provided by Grant Number 2021-SFA-CL-52-9B-004 from FDLE. There is no match required for this grant. Appropriation to support related grant activities is consistent with the development of the FY21 Adopted Budget.
Staff Member Responsible:
Daisy Rodriguez, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Attachments:
Grant Agreement