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Special Revenue Ordinance Amendment & Purchases - Union County Sheriff’s Office
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dorothy Thomas, Union County Sheriff's Office, Public Safety Finance Administrator, 704-283-3578
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Adopt Special Revenue Ordinance Amendment #074A, and 2) authorize the County Manager to i) negotiate and execute an agreement substantially consistent with this agenda item, ii) exercise any renewal or extension term options set forth in the Agreement, and iii) terminate the Agreement if deemed in the best interest of the County, each in the County Manager's discretion.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
None.
BACKGROUND:
The Union County Sheriff’s Office requests the recognition of $159,644.00 in revenue received as part of the Federal Equitable Sharing Program. Additionally, the Agency requests the recognition of $29,803.00 in earned interest, for a total of $189,447.00. These funds, also referred to as Federal Forfeiture funds, are the result of investigative partnerships between federal and local law enforcement agencies. These partnerships allow for any proceeds deemed forfeitable at the end of a criminal proceeding to be distributed to applicable agencies, based on their involvement in the investigation. Federal law requires the funds, and any interest earned, be used at the sole discretion of the recipient agencies for law enforcement purposes only. The law also states these funds cannot supplant an agency’s operating budget. The ability to make one-time equipment purchases and pay for specialized training, that have not been identified within or planned for in the Agency’s operating budget, provides opportunities to further enhance services to the residents and visitors of Union County. A portion of this revenue will be used for purchase of RapidDNA technology, as well as purchase specialized equipment for patrol operations.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory seeks to add RapidDNA to its growing list of forensic disciplines available to County residents and law enforcement partners within the region. The implementation of RapidDNA across the world has drastically reduced backlogs and turnaround times of DNA cases being processed in crime laboratories. The addition of RapidDNA technology provides the Union County Sheriff’s Office with the ability to quickly compare DNA samples gathered from crime scenes against a database of known offenders. With RapidDNA, it is possible to make a match in as little as 90 minutes.
Union County currently relies on the NC State Crime Lab to perform DNA testing, a process that takes between 18 and 36 months. Because RapidDNA can be deployed in the field for a variety of events, such as break-ins, homicides, and mass casualty situations, the opportunity to quickly identify individuals will be at the fingertips of investigators, producing nearly instant leads. The training required would be available to any employee of the Sheriff’s Office and is not restricted by division or expertise. No additional personnel are required to implement the RapidDNA system.
RapidDNA is less costly than traditional DNA testing methods and does not require personnel to have high-level scientific training. The method has been approved by the FBI for inmate use in those cases requiring DNA collection. As mentioned, it brings the capability to quickly identify unknown victims. RapidDNA was used successfully in the June 2021 condominium collapse in South Florida. In an effort to quickly gain the identity of victims, the DNA of known family members was collected and compared to the DNA of those who could not otherwise be identified. Accreditation is available through ANAB, the Crime Lab’s current accreditation body. The Union County Sheriff’s Office will use available equitable sharing (asset forfeiture) funds to purchase the RapidDNA system. These funds are available for one-time expenditures, usually equipment centered, that support the law enforcement functions of the Sheriff’s Office.
N.C.G.S 143-129(e)(3) and N.C.G.S 143-129(e)(9) allow local governments to make purchases through a competitively bid North Carolina Statewide Term Contract or a Group Purchasing Program.
The purchase of the RapidDNA will be made using Group Purchasing Program, OMINA Contract # 2021002889 quoted by Fisher Scientific in the amount of $106,750.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Additional revenue in the amount of $189,447.00 is being recognized to cover these purchases.