Title
Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund Funding for Joint Aviation Unit (B)
Explanation
On July 8, 1996, the City Commission approved the Inter-Agency Agreement for a Joint Aviation Unit between the Alachua County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) and the City of Gainesville's Police Department. The agreement allows for each agency to share the cost of the aviation hangar and office located at the Gainesville Regional Airport and the ACSO maintenance technician's salary. Total estimated operating costs for FY08 are $89,854.50. Estimated cost for the City's half of the hangar/office and maintenance technician's salary is $46,604.50. In addition, this request includes costs for normal operating expenses for GPD's helicopter of $43,250.00. These costs are for fuel, aircraft parts, required maintenance inspections, mandatory flight training for pilots, on-going training for flight officers, and FAA physicals.
The Public Safety Committee discussed the funding for this item at its August 16, 2007 meeting. The Committee approved the funding for this item to proceed to the City Commission.
Fiscal Note
Funds for this expenditure are available in the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund and is allowable per Federal 21 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 this account is $1,122.434.00
Recommendation
The City Commission approve the appropriation of $89,854.50 from the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund for the operation of the Joint Aviation Unit.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission disapprove the funds for the operation of the Joint Aviation Unit, which would ground GPD's helicopter program.
Alternative Recommendation B: None.