LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET - - PDF document

LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION

FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET PRESENTATION

Submitted to: Senator Kurt A. Vialet Chairman, Committee on Finance 33rd Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands Presented by: Ray A. Martinez

“Supporting the Territory’s Crime Reduction and Public Safety Efforts”

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Director June 27, 2019

Good morning Honorable Kurt A. Vialet, Chairman, and members of the Committee on Finance; other members of the 33rd Legislature present; Legislative staff, members of my Team, and ladies and gentlemen in the listening and viewing audience. I am Ray A. Martinez, Director of the Law Enforcement Planning Commission (LEPC). My LEPC Team members who have accompanied me this morning are Mrs. Keisha E. Culpepper-Smith, Director of Financial Management Services; Ms. Angela Lloyd-Campbell, Director of Victim Witness Services; Ms. Elouise Brown, Director of Juvenile Justice Programs; and Mrs. Ana Maria Creque, Financial Management

• Supervisor. We are pleased at the opportunity to appear before you

this morning to offer justification for the Law Enforcement Planning Commission’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget. The Law Enforcement Planning Commission herein referred to interchangeably as the Commission, the Agency, or LEPC, was established as an agency of the Government of the Virgin Islands, under Title 3 Chapter 15 Section 261. LEPC is entrusted with the responsibility and empowered to affect the functions and responsibilities provided for under the provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 as amended. The Commission serves as the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for the distribution of

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federal funds earmarked for local criminal justice agencies, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations. The agency is designated with exclusive

• versight to administer, monitor, and evaluate several streams of

federal funds that address criminal justice, juvenile delinquency, and victim services initiatives from the US Department of Justice (USDOJ) grant programs. The Commission is also vested with the statutory responsibility

• f providing policy advice and guidance to the Governor and is

established to be the State planning agency for the criminal justice system in the Territory. This responsibility encompasses assisting the Governor in developing policies, crime prevention and violence reduction plans, juvenile delinquency and victims of crime programs, and budgets directed at improving the coordination, administration and effectiveness of criminal justice efforts. In short, LEPC is a critical component in the Territory’s criminal justice tool chest with the charge of bringing together local and federal resources to comprehensively reduce crime and violence within the Territory, thereby improving the administration of justice. The collection of data and statistical information is of great

• significance. The submission of concise state level award applications

lending to improved funding opportunities, hinges upon LEPC’s ability to exercise its statutory authority in collecting from any government entity, the information, data reports, statistics, or such other

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pertinent material necessary to provide expert guidance. To that end, collaboration and information sharing between LEPC and governmental stakeholders is of utmost importance. Additionally, data collection and analysis advance the Agency’s delivery of technical assistance that increases sub-grantees’ programs successes. BUDGET OVERVIEW The Law Enforcement Planning Commission receives its

• perations funding through appropriations from the General Fund. In

addition, three (3) of the seven (7) formula grants provide funding to cover administrative and personnel costs associated with managing the respective grants. We intend to work with purposeful determination, within the scope of the allotted resources to deliver quality services that improve and strengthen the criminal justice

• system. We will accomplish this by improving communication with

sub-grantees, restructuring application and cumbersome reimbursement processes, increasing new and existing funding

• pportunities, and developing real-world policy recommendations

that optimize law enforcement and criminal justice efforts. This year’s General Fund allotment has increased $9,284 to $814,658 compared to last year’s $805,374 allotment. The Commission will work within the confines of the recommended FY 2020 Budget as it continues to

• btain and sub-award available grants in addition to providing law

enforcement policy recommendations and technical assistance.

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Personnel costs of $489,257 and Fringe Benefits of $208,124 are the lion’s share of our operating budget which funds the salaries of six (6) employees and three (3) funded vacancies. In addition, the Agency does not incur personnel or fringe benefit costs for the VOCA/VAWA Grant Manager as this position is 100% federally funded. LEPC

• perates two offices, one in the St. Thomas/St. John District and one

in the St. Croix District, with the majority of the employees operating

• ut the St. Thomas Office.

$7,193 and $20,400 are allotted for supplies and utilities costs. Other services and charges are allotted $89,684 which covers expenses incurred for rent, electricity, telephone, inter-island travel, vehicle maintenance, and fuel. The Agency utilizes federal funds awarded the office for the administration of grants to pay allowable costs for supplies, services and charges. There are presently no capital

• utlays budgeted for the fiscal year. The LEPC Fiscal Year 2020 General

Fund Budget Summary is included as Appendix I and the Personnel Costs Summary included as Appendix II. Office Space Rentals The Agency has two (2) leases for office space. The St. Thomas

• ffice is located in the Nisky Shopping Center and the St. Croix office

is housed within the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs at the Golden Rock Shopping Center, Christiansted. The St. Thomas

• ffice lease agreement with St. Thomas Properties, LLC., at an annual

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cost of $56,484 expires May 2020. The St. Croix office lease agreement with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs at an annual cost of $6,000 is open-ended. Office space rental information is

• utlined in Appendix III.

Vehicle Fleet LEPC has two (2) assigned vehicles, a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse and a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, both located in the St. Thomas/St. John

• District. The 2008 Equinox is in deplorable condition and needs to be

taken offline. There is no vehicle assigned to the St. Croix operation. When transportation is needed on St. Croix, we utilize loaner vehicles from the Property & Procurement transportation fleet. LEPC vehicles are used to attend meetings, conduct monitoring visits, site visits, and travel to provide technical assistance to our sub-grantees. Vehicle fleet information can be found in Appendix IV. FEDERAL GRANTS SUMMARY On behalf of the Territory, the Law Enforcement Planning Commission is awarded Federal Formula Grants from the U. S. Department of Justice (USDOJ). Formula grants are grants where the enacting legislation specifies how the funds are to be distributed. These grants are non-competitive with allocations primarily awarded based upon population size. The LEPC is the recipient of seven (7) USDOJ formula grants.

Commented [RM1]: How many ACTIVE grants do we have to report on?

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 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)  Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Title II Grant (JJDP)  Juvenile Justice Prison Rape Elimination Act (JJPREA)  Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)  Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Grant (RSAT)  Victims of Crime Assistance Grant (VOCA)  Violence Against Women STOP Grant (VAWA) The Agency was awarded $3,075,912 for Fiscal Year 2018. For Fiscal Year 2019 we anticipate total awards of approximately $2,300,000. The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) is the primary federal criminal justice funding program. The JAG provides funding to support a broad range of activities geared at increasing law enforcement efforts to preventing and controlling crime through hiring additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice. The Territory uses funding to support activities that prevent and control crime, through apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, detention, and rehabilitation of offenders. Agencies such as the Department of Justice, Police Department and the Bureau of Corrections have utilized funding to support a number of projects ranging from training, acquiring technical assistance, hiring personnel, and the purchase of routine and specialized law enforcement equipment. A total of

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$1,817,085 has been awarded from the JAG Fiscal Years 2012-2017 funding to support governmental programs. The JAG funding also supports the implementation and enhancement of juvenile and after-school programs aimed at reducing/addressing juvenile delinquency and providing healthier alternatives to at-risk youths in the Virgin Islands. A total of $2,366,291.97 has been awarded from the JAG Fiscal Years 2012-2017 funding to support juvenile programs. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Title II Formula Grant Program supports the development of programs to address juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system. The Agency utilizes this grant to support the LEPC State Advisory Board, and to monitor jails, detention facilities, and other facilities to assure compliance with the four core requirements of the JJDP Act. Those core requirements are Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO), separation of juveniles from adults in institutions (Separation), removal of juveniles from adult jails and lockups (Jail Removal), and reduction of disproportionate minority contact (DMC). While we are in compliance with JJDP mandates, the Act was substantially amended in December 2018 to become the Juvenile Justice Reform Act (JJRA). With its effective date of October 1, 2019, the JJRA’s new rules will require changes in the structure of the State Advisory Board in addition to close monitoring of the now stringent

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requirements for detaining low-level, nonviolent offenders who have violated a court order. Our office is closely tracking changes to make the transition seamless. Violence Against Women STOP (VAWA) and Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) grants fund direct services and programs to assist those whose lives have been affected and impacted by crime. Victim services in the territory are primarily provided by non-profit

• rganizations. The majority of these organizations in large part,

depend on VAWA and VOCA awards to fund their operations. These funds have made it possible for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to seek shelter and avail themselves of needed services as a result of their victimizations. In addition, the Department of Justice and the Virgin Islands Police Department utilized VAWA funding to support hiring of a Domestic Violence prosecutor and support staff, training activities for local police officers, advocates and family court judges. In Fiscal Year 2018, LEPC awarded $1,433,320, and thus far in Fiscal Year 2019, has awarded $1,391,109 in VAWA and VOCA funding. A listing of LEPC’s active grants can be found in Appendix V. In conclusion, accountability continues to be at the forefront of the Agency’s operation. Work continues in reversing the “high risk” designation generated by the 2012 Office of Inspector General Audit

• recommendations. The 2017 implementation of the LEPC Program

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Policy and Procedural Manual, with stricter policies and procedures was a significant step in the right direction, but there is still room for

• improvement. It behooves us to revisit the policy and address several

topics that have arisen since implementation. The timely issuance of awards within permissible use of fund requirements is another key priority. It is imperative we increase the efficiency of our award and reporting processes in order to augment sub-grantee operations and the submission of accurate financial

• reports. We are cognizant the majority of non-profit and faith-based

sub-grantees are highly dependent upon funding from LEPC. With this understanding, we streamlined the financial reporting process, thereby expediting funding distribution and reimbursements while ensuring adherence to the funding guidelines. To minimize de-obligation of unused funds, LEPC increased efforts inviting sub-grantees to apply for, and expend funds. With the assistance of the Office of the Governor’s Policy Team, LEPC made funding opportunities available to governmental agencies with law enforcement divisions, not routinely provided awards. Those agencies were truly receptive to funding opportunities and have been working hand-in-hand with our office to expeditiously submit applications. We expect in short order, grant applications from the Virgin Islands Port Authority, and Departments of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, and Planning and Natural Resources. Upon receipt, we expect to provide

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those agencies awards for the purchase of patrol vehicles, body armor, body worn cameras, and surveillance security camera systems. Moreover, LEPC continues to intricately partner with community groups and agencies who demonstrate an interest in implementing projects that meet funding parameters. Development of a strategic plan that will help guide the creation and implementation of programs and policies, is key to LEPC’s ability to constructively forge ahead. We have already engaged conversations with internal and external stakeholders. We anticipate formulation of policy recommendations that support a safer community; ensure sub-grantees access to available funding; and enhance the Territory’s criminal justice system to address violent crime. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to publicly thank my Team for their unparalleled dedication. The Agency’s success is directly attributed to their positive attitudes and

• competencies. With the loss of several key personnel, they willingly

took on added responsibilities to ensure management of the grants and other office related duties continued without major disruptions. Each of them empowers me to remain committed to promoting LEPC’s mission. Senators, the Law Enforcement Planning Commission is a small agency with immense statutory responsibility and authority that

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provides unsurpassed support within the community through funded projects and programs. Yet, LEPC has massive untapped potential. Under my directorship, we will no longer relegate ourselves to solely managing federal grants. LEPC is poised to lead the charge to improve public safety in the Territory by offering policy recommendations based on building safety from the neighborhood up, because we understand safety is more than the absence of crime! I thank you for the opportunity to have appeared before you this morning. My Team and I are available to answer your questions.

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APPENDIX I

Expenditures Appropriation Governor's Recommendation FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 Personnel Services 397,833 $ 469,382 $ 489,257 $ 19,875 $ Fringe Benefits 160,292 $ 203,913 $ 208,124 $ 4,211 $ Supplies 16,606 $ 28,475 $ 7,193 $ 21,282

• $

Other Services & Charges 98,115 $ 82,004 $ 89,684 $ 7,680 $ Utilities 24,663 $ 21,600 $ 20,400 $ 1,200

• $

Capital Outlays

• $
• $
• $
• $

Total General Fund 697,509 $ 805,374 $ 814,658 $ 9,284 $

LEPC General Fund Budget Summary Fiscal Year 2020

Variance General Fund Description

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APPENDIX II

POSITION TITLE STATUS SALARY UNCLASSIFIED Director, LEPC Filled 90,000 $ Director, Financial Management Services Filled 66,950 $ Executive Assistant to the Director Vacant 56,650 $ Director, Victim Services Filled 56,650 $ Grants Manager Vacant 50,000 $ Director, Juvenile Justice Filled 51,500 $ TOTAL UNCLASSIFIED 6 371,750 $ CLASSIFIED Financial Management Supervisor Filled 44,592 $ Financial Specialist Filled 41,516 $ Custodian Vacant 31,399 $ TOTAL CLASSIFIED 3 117,507 $ TOTAL GENERAL FUND PERSONNEL 9 489,257 $ POSITION TITLE STATUS SALARY UNCLASSIFIED Grant Manager VAWA/VOCA (50%/50% split) Filled 44,290 $ Director of Domestic Violence Filled 100,000 $ Special Support Technician Filled 36,050 $ Policy Advisor Filled 115,500 $ TOTAL UNCLASSIFIED 4 295,840 $ TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS PERSONNEL 4 295,840 $ TOTAL LEPC PERSONNEL 13 785,097 $

LEPC General Fund Personnel Listing Fiscal Year 2020

Federal Fund Personnel Listing Fiscal Year 2020

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APPENDIX III

Lessor Address Square Footage Annual Rent 8000 Nisky Center Suite 700/701

• St. Thomas, VI 00802

3000 Estate Golden Rock, Ste. 9 Christiansted

• St. Croix, VI 00820

TOTAL 62,484 $ Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs 500 6,000 $ B & W Realty Investment Ltd. 4,707 56,484 $

LEPC Rental Listing Fiscal Year 2020

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APPENDIX IV

Make Model Year Assignee Condition Chevy Traverse 2017 Director & Staff/STT Good Chevy Equinox 2008 Staff/STT Deplorable TOTAL 2

LEPC Vehicle Summary Fiscal Year 2020

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APPENDIX V

FEDERAL GRANTS FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 TOTAL

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) $ 695,607.00 $ 610,774.00 $ 655,876.00 $ 633,781.00 $ 642,192.00 3,238,230.00 $ Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program (JJDP) $ - $ 60,020.00 $ 45,060.00 $ 59,333.00 $ 74,300.00 238,713.00 $ Juvenile Justice Prison Rape Elimination Act (JJPREA) $ - $ - $ - $ 675.00 $ 925.00 1,600.00 $ Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) $ - $ - $ - $ 33,210.00 $ 33,632.00 66,842.00 $ Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners (RSAT) $ - $ - $ 43,606.00 $ 51,051.00 $ 110,994.00 205,651.00 $ Violence Against Women Grant (VAWA) $ 635,453.00 $ 633,910.00 $ 637,570.00 $ 636,673.00 $ 639,084.00 3,182,690.00 $ Victims of Crime Assistance Grant (VOCA) $ - $ - $ 1,197,986.00 $ 1,072,967.00 $ 1,574,785.00 3,845,738.00 $ TOTAL 1,331,060.00 $ 1,304,704.00 $ 2,580,098.00 $ 2,487,690.00 $ 3,075,912.00 $ 10,779,464.00 $

LEPC Federal Grants Active Award Listing Fiscal Year 2020