Title
Authorizing the City Attorney’s Office to apply for renewal of the Crime Victim Services Grant.
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WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has released a request for proposals for the Crime Victim Services 2022-23 Renewal Grants, for grantees, including the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office, who are current recipients of the Crime Victim Services grant (VOCA), and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney’s Offices’ current OJP Crime Victim Services grant is for the period of October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2023, and
WHEREAS, the Office of Justice Programs goals include ensuring crime victims’ rights are upheld, increasing victims’ safety, and ensuring that victims’ services are relevant to the population that exists within the community, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office is eligible to apply for $279,534 to provide crime victim services during the 24-month period of October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2023, with $209,654 in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, $52,414 required in VOCA match, and $69,880 in state funding, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division relies heavily on the work of our Victim/Witness Coordinator and Assistant to provide services to crime victims and uphold statutory mandates in Minn. Stat. 611A (Crime Victims’ Rights) and to ensure that victims from underserved communities are able to access these services, and
WHEREAS, we recognize that crime victim services offered by the City Attorney’s Office benefit the citizens of the City of St. Paul, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division wishes to pursue the available funding opportunity and the renewal grant application in an effort to save one current Victim Witness Coordinator position and one Victim Outreach Assistant position, both of which are currently funded by this grant, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the St. Paul City Council authorizes the City Attorney’s Office to apply for and, if received, accept the Crime Victim Services 2022-23 Renewal Grants; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the proper City officials are authorized to execute any necessary agreements.