For City Council Meeting November 25, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Adopt Resolution No. 8433 Amending the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year Budget; (2) Accept the FY2025-2026 California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Allocation of $161,328.00; (3) Accept the FY2024-2025 California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Growth Allocation of $161,791.05; and (4) Authorize the City Manager or Designee to Execute All Documents. This Grant Requires no Local City Match.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommend that the City Council:
1) Adopt a Resolution amending the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget;
2) Accept the FY2025-2026 California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) allocation of $161,328.00;
3) Accept the FY2024-2025 California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Growth Allocation of $161,791.05; and
4) Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND
The County of San Bernardino Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector has allocated California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) funding to the City of Rialto Police Department on a per capita basis in the amount of $161,328.00. The State of California passed through the County of San Bernardino a Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) growth payment in the amount of $161,791.05.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Guidelines regulating the use of COPS funding specify that it must be used solely for front-line law enforcement services. Front-line police services are not specifically defined but include technology needs. This allocation must supplement existing services and cannot be used to supplant any existing funding for police services.
Each county must create a Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund Committee (SLESF) before applying for funds. California Department of Finance requires this committee to be comprised of the following officials: one Police Chief, the County Sheriff, the District Attorney, the County’s Executive Officer and one City Manager. The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has already established an oversight committee by resolution.
The City of Rialto Police Department will use the funding allocation of $161,328 for technology, communication and needed equipment and services for frontline law enforcement personnel. The purchase of equipment and services will allow the department to enhance its overall frontline efficiency, effectiveness, and safety.
On November 12, 2024, the City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 COPS award in the amount of $159,210. California Government Code Section 30029.05 extended funding in the Enhancing Law Enforcement Activities Growth Special Account, and thereafter, each county treasury, for the purpose of the Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Growth Program, passes through to the cities the awarded allocation. The growth allocation award for COPS Fiscal Year 2024-2025 is $161,791.05. This allocation must be used exclusively to fund frontline municipal police services.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which as a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, general policy, and procedure making.
2) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety. The acceptance of this grant and future purchase of this technology and other related equipment is consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
Policy 5-8.4: Initiate proactive crime suppression and prevention strategies throughout the community.
Goal 5-9: Reduce criminal street gang activity and discourage gang involvement in the City of Rialto.
Policy 5-9.1: Identify specific high-crime areas in the City and when feasible, create plans/strategies to improve these areas.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the resolution and staff report and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Operating Budget Impact
The Rialto Police Department has been allocated $161,328.00 through the California Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS). This allocation will increase revenue in the amount of $161,328.00 in the Citizens’ Option Public Safety Fund Account No. 22146994 47547 26COP-31. Offsetting expenditures of the same amount will increase expenditures in the amount of $161,328.00 in Account No. 22146994 53030 26COP-42 for the purchase of technology, equipment, and services for the Police Department.
This grant requires no local City match.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
This action does not require a business license.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2025-26 Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Annual Allocation Award
2. 2024-25 Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) Growth Allocation
3 Resolution Amending 2025-2026 Budget