Title
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative FY 2020 Grant Program
Action
Action:
Authorize the Mayor to accept funding through the FY 2020 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant Program in the amount of $587,891 from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Johnny Jennings, Police
Coerte Voorhees, Police
Joel McNelly, Police
Explanation
§ The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) often applies for grants to fund programs and expenses that support the approved operating budget.
§ CMPD has received the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant from the U.S Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance since Fiscal Year 2016.
§ The goal of the grant program is to address the number of unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits in law enforcement custody and to help provide resolution for victims when possible.
§ The FY 2020 SAKI grant will fund three part time positions: a criminalist, an assistant district attorney, and a sexual assault detective.
§ Additionally, funds will be used to support maintaining the multidisciplinary working group by continuing their partnership with Safe Alliance for the purpose of providing resources to victims of sexual assault and to contract with a vendor laboratory to conduct genetic genealogy research and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Profile Conversion to enable DNA profiles of suspects in unsolved cases to be added to a national DNA database.
§ The grant is for a three-year term from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2023.
§ No matching contribution from the city is required.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Grants Fund