DATE: November 4, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: John Zanoni, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Grant Application and Award for Cal OES Internet Crimes Against Children Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator, or his designee, as the official designated to execute a Grant Application/Agreement including, Certification of Assurance and Subrecipient Grants Management Assessment forms for the 2025 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Program grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), including any amendments and extensions, which assists local law enforcement agencies in enhancing their investigative response to offenders who use the internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children, to fund activities of the Fresno County Sheriff’s ICAC Task Force, for the period of January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026 ($1,350,000);
2. Approve and authorize the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator, or his designee, to execute the required Authorization for the Grant Subaward Certification of Assurance of Compliance; and
3. Adopt Budget Resolution increasing the FY 2025-26 appropriations and estimated revenues in the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Org 3111 in the amount of $51,358 (4/5 vote)
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Cal OES released this funding application exclusively to the five current federally funded ICAC task forces in California, which includes the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting your Board to authorize the Sheriff or his designee as the designated official to submit these documents, including any amendments and extensions; otherwise, a modification would be required in January 2026, when the Chairman of the Board changes. Once the Grant Subaward Face Sheet, Certification of Assurance of Compliance, and Subrecipient Grants Management Assessment with Cal OES are signed by the Sheriff or his designee, the award documents become the final agreement between the County and Cal OES. Approval of the third recommended action increases FY 2025-26 appropriations and estimated revenues in the amount of $51,358 for the purchase of laptops to support investigative efforts of the ICAC task force. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, the grant funds would be denied, which would impact the Department’s ability to investigate computer crimes that target children.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Sheriff’s Org 31116310 FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget to fund the four full-time positions in the Sheriff’s ICAC task force through June 30, 2026. Approval of the Budget Resolution will increase FY 2025-26 appropriations and estimated revenues in the Sheriff’s Org 3111 by $51,358, fully offset by grant funding. This will allow the task force to purchase laptops within FY 2025-26 and increase the FY 2025-26 Adopted budget total from $950,000 to $1,001,358. Although the ICAC grant award in recent years has been $950,000, the current award has increased to $1,350,000. This increase necessitates a budget resolution to raise FY 2025-26 appropriations and estimated revenues. The remaining appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget, to allow for subscriptions to Cellebrite, Magnet, and CaseScan, and fund travel for trainings. The grant period is from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, and crosses FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27. There is no match requirement associated with the program.
DISCUSSION:
The ICAC task force was created to assist local law enforcement agencies to enhance their investigative response to offenders who use the internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children. The Sheriff’s Office has six funded positions on the ICAC task force, four of which are funded by Cal OES. The remaining two positions are fully funded with federal funds. The Board has approved ICAC grant agreements for the Sheriff’s Office since 2012.
Since 2012, the Board has authorized the Sheriff to apply for and accept annual ICAC grant funding from Cal OES to support the Sheriff’s ICAC Task Force operations. Funding has consistently supported three Deputy Sheriff positions, with a Sergeant position added in 2023, as well as overtime, operational costs, and specialized equipment including forensic tools, mobile forensic vehicles, digital storage upgrades, and undercover vehicles. Over the years, funding has also provided for phone cracking tools, forensic computers, an electronic detection K9, and emotional wellness and decompression training for ICAC personnel. Due to the grant term aligning with the calendar year and involving more than one Chairman of the Board, modifications have been required pursuant to Cal OES policy. To illustrate this sustained support and growth, the following list details the specific grants, funding amounts, and operational enhancements authorized by the Board over the years:
• Initial Grant (2012): The Board first authorized a $100,000 grant application (effective July 2012-June 2013) for basic task force needs like overtime and equipment.
• Major Expansion (2018-2020): A significant $1,000,000 grant (effective July 2018-December 2020) was executed to partially fund two Deputy Sheriff positions, purchase the Graykey iPhone cracking tool, and invest heavily in forensic equipment and a K9.
o An additional $950,000 was allocated in March 2020 to add one more Deputy Sheriff and purchase more equipment, including five vehicles.
• Sustained Annual Funding (2021-2024): The Board established a pattern of authorizing annual grants for $$950,000 (effective January 1 through December 31 each year), covering the task force's operational costs.
o 2021 & 2022: Funded three Deputy Sheriff positions and provided forensic tools, specific training, and undercover vehicles.
o 2023: Funding was authorized for the twelfth year and expanded to include three Deputy Sheriff positions and one Sergeant position.
o 2024: Funding was authorized for the thirteenth year, sustaining the three Deputy Sheriff and one Sergeant positions.
• Inter-Agency Support (2022): In August 2022, the Board authorized an MOU with the Fresno Police Department (FPD) to allow an FPD officer to use a County vehicle for ICAC investigations.
On November 5, 2024, the Board authorized the Sheriff as the designated official to execute the ICAC grant application/agreement in the amount of $950,000 effective from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, since the grant term was for the calendar year and involved more than one Chairman of the Board (due to Cal OES’s requirement of a modification when there is a change in the Board’s designated official). The grant funded three Deputy Sheriff(s), one Sergeant position(s) in the Sheriff’s ICAC task force, costs for overtime, and costs for a wellness conference. This grant application/agreement was the fourteenth year of funding.
The five previously funded ICAC task forces, including Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and San Jose Police Department, were each allocated an award of $1,350,000 to cover one calendar year, beginning January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2026. The intent of the ICAC program funding opportunity is to better ensure local law enforcement agencies are adequately equipped to investigate computer crimes that target our youth, provide educational programs aimed at law enforcement officers, teachers, parents, and children, serve as a forensic resource to law enforcement agencies within each service area, pursue the prosecution of cases at the local, state, and federal level, and participate in nationally-coordinated investigative efforts.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office will use its allocation from this round of grant funding to continue the funding of one Sergeant, three Deputy Sheriff positions, overtime, Cellebrite, Magnet Forensics, and CaseScan subscriptions, virtual Cellebrite training, costs to attend a wellness conference, and laptops. Position and overtime costs are included in the FY 2025-26 adopted budget. The budget resolution will increase the FY 2025-26 budget to allow for the purchase of laptops. Subscriptions and training costs will be included in the FY 2026-27 recommended budget. Cal-OES moved to a new online Grants Central System (GCS) on July 15, 2024, to allow applicants to apply for and manage Cal-OES grant funds. Cal OES requires the County to obtain written authorization from its governing board, i.e., the Board of Supervisors, that the official executing the agreement and related documents is, in fact, authorized to do so.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI# 30, November 5, 2024
BAI# 38, November 28, 2023
BAI# 5, November 29, 2022
BAI # 26, August 9, 2022
BAI #27, November 2, 2021
BAI #34, November 24, 2020
BAI #29, March 10, 2020
BAI #27, October 9, 2018
BAI# 19, September 11, 2012
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Application with Cal OES
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org 3111)
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai