Title
Federal LECFTF Funding for GPD Property Building and Front Desk Renovation (B)
Explanation
Construction of the current Gainesville Police Department facility was completed in the mid-1980's. At the time of completion, the facility included an exterior Property and Evidence building. It was immediately determined not to be totally adequate for the maintenance of property, evidence, or the housing of the Property and Evidence Section staff due to the lack of insulation and air conditioning. Over the years, the building has had minor renovations to allow for the housing of narcotics and large pieces of evidence, but it has never been utilized to its fullest benefit because of the lack of funding. As a result, the Property and Evidence Section is housed in six separate offices/storage areas within the main GPD building, totaling approximately 3,000 square feet. In addition, the current storage of evidence and property is done utilizing plywood shelving and 2x4 supports, which is inadequate for maximizing space. With this renovation, coupled with the utilization of state-of-the-art property storage system (included in the renovation costs), the entire Property and Evidence function can be moved to the newly renovated building. The renovated facility will allow for ease of evidence retrieval, a more efficient storage system, better chain of custody of evidence, a centralized area for property and evidence, and still allow for continued growth.
Renovation of the Front Desk area of the GPD building will create an environment in which our personnel are safer and also provide enhanced security for the rest of the GPD facility. By screening potentially dangerous individuals at the Front Desk behind bullet proof glass, non-sworn personnel can assist with some of the duties currently assigned to sworn officers. Also, the non-sworn staff are required to leave the Front Desk to go to a separate room to take fingerprints of the various vendors, etc. who come to the Front Desk. To ensure the continued security of the area once the renovations are complete, the Department would like to transition from the current ink-based fingerprinting method to an easy-to-use, fully integrated, digital, inkless fingerprint scanner. The self-contained system would be installed as part of the renovation of the Front Desk area to allow the GPD employee to obtain fingerprints while remaining safely behind the secure bullet proof glass.
In summary, the renovation of the Property and Evidence area and the Front Desk area will not exceed $375,000. The purchase of the Fingerprint scanner will not exceed $45,000.
Fiscal Note
Funds for this expenditure are available in the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund and is allowable per Federal 121 U.S.C. ยง 881, found in the U.S. Department of Justice "A Guide to Equitable Sharing of Federally Forfeited Property for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies." The balance in the account is $4,029,761.95, inclusive of items still pending.
Recommendation
The City Commission approve the appropriation of an amount not to exceed $420,000 from the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund for the renovation of the GPD Property building and the Front Desk area, and the purchase of a digital fingerprint scanner for the Gainesville Police Department.