TITLE
Title
BUDGET AMENDMENT: SAFER OUTCOMES - ENHANCING DE-ESCALATION AND CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT - SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES GRANT (SAFER OUTCOMES GRANT)
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Sheriff Danny H. Rogers (Capt. Wes Mecham)
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BACKGROUND
Background
Over the past several years, there has been a noticeable rise in the number of encounters between law enforcement officers and mentally ill persons or persons subject to impairing substances. These encounters have resulted in injury to both the officers and those they encounter. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office has not been spared this increase in these encounters. The reason for the rise in these numbers is not known. The Sheriff's Office seeks to end each encounter in a non-physical and non-injurious manner, whenever possible. If a situation can be de-escalated by verbal (non-physical) means, it is better for everyone. Sheriff Rogers has continually championed this type of resolution, and to enhance chances of peaceful outcomes, he has required deputies and detention officers to attend training opportunities, to increase their verbal de-escalation skills.
The Sheriff's Office has been awarded $281,788 through the Safer Outcomes Grant. The Safer Outcomes Grant is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and provides funding for law enforcement officers to attend training(s) to improve de-escalation skills. It also provides opportunities for officers to be trained as a trainer, so they can return to their agency and continue the training in house. The train-the-trainer program allows the skills to be taught and developed going forward, as a perpetual training resource. This grant does not require any matching local funds and does not create a program that will require continuation and/or funding for years to come. The performance period of the grant will run from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
Grant Projects Fund
FY25-27 Safer Outcomes Grant (adopt)
$281,788 appropriation to Grant Project
$281,788 in Federal/State Funds
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve receipt of the FY25-27 Safer Outcomes Grant in the amount of $281,788 and adopt grant project ordinance for FY25-27 Safer Outcomes Grant in the amount of $281,788 with $281,788 in Federal/State Funds.
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