DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: District Attorney Salary Resolution Amendment
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution adding one (1) Senior District Attorney Investigator allocation to the District Attorney Org 2860, effective June 24, 2024, as reflected in Appendix “C”.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the approval of the recommended action, which will add one (1) Senior District Attorney Investigator position for the Organized Retail Theft (ORT) grant program. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the Department will not be able to hire a Senior District Attorney Investigator to work with local law enforcement to address the ever-growing concern of organized retail theft.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The total costs of this position are fully grant funded. The Board approved the related increase of appropriations and estimated revenues on March 5, 2024, and sufficient appropriations will be included in subsequent budget requests for the District Attorney Org 2860. If grant funding for this program is discontinued and no other funding source is identified, the associated position will be deleted.
DISCUSSION:
The State Budget Act of 2022, Senate Bill 154, established the ORT Prevention Grant making funds available competitively to local law enforcement to help address the serious problems related to organized retail theft, motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessory theft, and cargo theft. On July 7, 2023, a multi-partner application proposal was submitted to BSCC by the lead agency, the City of Fresno. On March 5, 2024, your Board approved the submittal of a multi-agency partnership application with the City of Fresno to the Board of State and Community Corrections for the ORT Grant Program to create a collaborative effort of local law enforcement agencies working together to implement the Fresno Metropolitan Area Organized Retail Task Force with the primary objective of combatting and aggressively prosecuting ORT offenders.
The grant approved funding for three part time investigators, overtime, vehicle costs, and forensic software for the Department. During the implementation process, it was determined that one full time Senior District Attorney Investigator instead of three part time positions, would be more effective for operational needs. The Department received approval for this change in staffing on May 20, 2024. Approval of the Recommended action will add one Senior District Attorney Investigator investigator that will be assigned to the ORT grant program with the primary duty of coordinating with local law enforcement to prevent and mitigate organized retail theft. The investigator will also serve as a liaison for our Cyber and Forensics Unit in providing cyber forensics data and evidentiary information to be used to combat retail theft.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #22, March 5, 2024
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Salary Resolution - Appendix “C”
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai