Title
Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund (LECFTF) Funding for the Gainesville - Alachua County Drug Task Force (DTF), GPD Special Investigation Division for Verizon Wireless for FY14 (B)
This is a request for City Commission approval for the appropriation of funds for cellular phones service for the Special Investigations Division.
Explanation
On November 1, 2007 the Gainesville Police Department Special Investigations Division (GPD SID) combined with Alachua County Sheriff's Office Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit (ASO NOCU), along with the University of Florida Police Department (UPD) to form the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force (DTF). The DTF is often involved in large scale operations with other federal, state and local organizations. Nextel has done away with the program that the DTF and DEA were using. The Nextel Phone equipment and service is no longer available for DTF purposes. As a result other agencies had to move to a different service. The service that ASO is using is Verizon Wireless. Since this is now the standard it is important that the Special Investigations Division keep with the same service as the rest of the task force. It is important when in some cases this would be the only means of communications between task force members and other federal and state organizations.
Fiscal Note
Funds for this expenditure in the amount of $4,500 are available in the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund (LECFTF) and are allowable per the U.S. Department of Justice "A Guide to Equitable Sharing of Federally Forfeited Property for State and Local Enforcement Agencies". The unreserved fund balance as of May 28, 2013 is $1,837,556.
Recommendation
The City Commission approve the appropriation of $4,500 from the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund (LECFTF) to pay for the cellular services and any equipment needed to Verizon Wireless.
Alternative Recommendation
The City Commissio...
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