The California Board of State and Community Corrections Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program (the Program) is established in 2022 with the passage of the State Budget Act (Assembly Bill 154, Chapter 43, Statutes of 2022).  The Program provides $242,250,000 million for city police departments, sheriff departments, and probation departments to support local law enforcement agencies in preventing and responding to organized retail theft, motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessory theft, and/or cargo theft.

Eligible activities under the Program are categorized into three “Program Purpose Areas” (PPA). Grant funding request can be in one or multiple PPA’s.

PPA 1: Organized Retail Theft

For the purposes of this PPA, eligible activities, strategies, or programs, include but are not limited to:

• Programs that promote collaboration and coordination between law enforcement and retailers to reduce organized retail theft.
•  Programs that promote collaboration and coordination between law enforcement and District Attorney Offices to prosecute organized retail theft.
• Development of organized retail theft policies and procedures, memorandum of understanding (MOU), and/or formal agreements between law enforcement and retailers.
• Deployment of law enforcement officers and taskforces to combat organized retail theft.
• Use of proactive approaches to minimize organized retail theft risks (e.g., anti-theft devices, use of cameras and security systems).
• Use of databases, equipment, software, and technology to combat organized retail theft.

PPA 2: Motor Vehicle or Motor Vehicle Accessory Theft

For the purposes of this PPA, eligible activities, strategies, or programs, include but are not limited to:

• Investigations of motor vehicle and motor vehicle accessory theft.
•  Motor vehicle theft prevention public awareness campaigns.
• Programs that deter motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessory theft.
• Use of databases, equipment, software, and technology to track stolen motor vehicles and/or motor vehicle accessories to combat organized retail theft.

PPA 3: Cargo Theft

 For the purposes of this PPA, eligible activities, strategies, or programs, include but are not limited to:

•  Investigations of cargo theft.
• Programs that promote collaboration and coordination between law enforcement and commercial cargo operators (trains, truck, busses, etc.) to reduce organized cargo theft.
• Programs that promote collaboration and coordination between commercial cargo operators and District Attorney Offices to prosecute organized cargo theft.
• Use of databases, equipment, software, and technology to prevent and track stolen cargo.

The Garden Grove Police Department is focusing the grant application on PPA 1 and PPA 2 (Organized Retail Theft and Motor Vehicle or Motor Vehicle Accessory Theft). The funds being requested are for 80 Flock License Plate Reader (LPR) cameras, 6 Flock LPR Mobile cameras, and to fund monthly directed enforcement operations related to PPA 1 and PPA 2. The total amount being requested to fund these items is approximately $1,302,231.  Information regarding this program is available at California BSCC: https://www.bscc.ca.gov/organized-retail-theft-grant-program

Authorizing the grant application will allow the Garden Grove Police Department to submit its application to the Program.  Depending on the amount approved by the Program, an appropriation up to the requested amount of $1,302,231 shall be added to the Police Department’s operating budget, offset by the corresponding grant revenue.  There will be no fiscal impact to the General Fund. Supplanting is strictly prohibited for all BSCC grant funds.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Authorize the Garden Grove Police Department to apply for the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program in the amount of $1,302,231.00;
• Designate the Garden Grove Police Department as the Lead Public Agency (LPA) for the grant application and grant operations on behalf of the City; 

• Approve to appropriate the amount equivalent to the Program funds awarded to the City of Garden Grove Police Department for the purchase Flock LPR cameras and to fund related  enforcement operations for the duration of the grant period; and

• Authorize the Finance Director to issue purchase orders for the procurement of the Flock LRP cameras and related equipment.

By: Sergeant Willie Holloway