Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Acceptance of the 2024 COPS Technology and Equipment Program Grant Award from the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
End
From: Darin Lenyi, Chief of Police
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Karla Santillan, Business Services Manager
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
A. Approve the acceptance of the 2024 COP Technology and Equipment Program Grant Award from the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) in the amount of $383,000; and
B. Amend the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Adopted Budget by designating grant revenues in the amount of $383,000 and increasing budgeted expenditures of the Special Police Services Fund in the amount of $383,000 towards supplies.
end
BACKGROUND
In 2023, the Westminster Police Department submitted an appropriations request through Congresswoman Michelle Steel’s office. On August 8 2024, the Westminster Police Department applied for the FY24 COPS Office Technology and Equipment Program (TEP).
The goal of the program is to increase the community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts of law enforcement agencies. The objective is to provide funding for projects which improve police effectiveness and the flow of information among law enforcement agencies, local government service providers, and the communities they serve.
2024 Community Funding Project Description
The Westminster Police Department was approved funding in the amount of $383,000 for the construction of a backup data center to protect the City's database, critical 911 communications, and emergency response systems from natural disasters and cybersecurity threats. The Westminster Police Department plays a crucial role in extending valuable services to the community, including emergency response.
The current data center is vulnerable to a range of threats, including physical damage from natural disasters and cyberattacks. In recent years, there have been significant increases in cyber threats aimed at disrupting emergency services. These threats range from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to malware and ransomware attacks that can compromise systems and data. A secondary data center will address these risks and ensure the uninterrupted functioning of critical services. The secondary facility will serve as a backup location to the current data center and will provide the necessary redundancy and backup capabilities to protect against disasters and cyberattacks.
The proposed backup data center will be located in a geographically distinct area from the primary data center and will be equipped with advanced security measures, including state-of-the-art firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and encryption technologies. These measures will ensure that our data remains secure and protected against any potential cyber threat.
The project is essential for the long-term success and viability of the City of Westminster. By investing in a backup data center, the city will not only protect itself against potential disasters, but also demonstrate its commitment to taking measures that will ensure that data remain secure and delivery of public services are not impacted.
FISCAL IMPACT
Acceptance of the FY24 COPS Office Technology and Equipment Program Grant Award in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 will require an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Adopted Budget and reflected as follows:
|
Account No. |
Description |
Totals |
|
39251-34294 |
Intergovernmental - State |
$383,000 |
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
44000 |
Supplies |
$383,000 |
|
TOTAL |
|
$383,000 |
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Staff will begin project planning once the grant has been accepted by the City Council and the adopted budget is amended as proposed.
ATTACHMENTS
1. FY24 TEP Award Notification
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
Christian Bettenhausen, City Attorney
Christine Cordon, City Manager